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LAKEPORT SERIES 


The 

Football Boys of Lakeport 


More Goals Than One 


By EDWARD ST RATE MEYER 

Author of “The Boat Club Boys of Lakeport,” “The Gun Club Boys 
of Lakeport,” “The Baseball Boys of Lakeport,” “Dave Porter 
Series,” “Old Glory Series,” “ Pan-American Series,” Etc. 


ILLUSTRATED BT ARTHUR 0. SCOTT 



BOSTON 

LOTHROP, LEE y SHEPARD CO. 


0^-%Z<oZ I 




Published, ^August, 1909 


Copyright, 1909, by Lothrop, L/EE & Shepard Co. 


A// rights reserved 


The Football Boys of Lakeport 


IRorwoob iprcss 
Berwick & Smith Co. 
Norwood, Mass. 

U. S. A. 

Cl. A 245750 
AUa 23 1909 


PREFACE 


This story is complete in itself, but forms the 
fourth volume in a line known under the general 
title of “ Lakeport Series.’’ 

The first volume, called “ The Gun Club Boys 
of Lakeport,” told how three lads of Lakeport 
organized the club and went out for winter sport 
in the woods. They were accompanied by an old 
and experienced hunter, and were, later on, joined 
by some of their young friends; and all had “the 
time of their lives,” as one afterward declared. 

With the approach of warm weather the minds 
of the boys turned to baseball, our great national 
sport, and in my second book, “ The Baseball Boys 
of Lakeport,” I related what the lads did on the 
diamond, and what some of their rivals tried to 
do to bring them to grief. 

In the third volume, entitled “ The Boat Club 
Boys of Lakeport,” the scene was shifted almost en- 
tirely to the lake upon the shore of which the town 
was located. By good luck the lads became pos- 
sessed of the outfit of a first-class rowing associa- 
tion, and had the use of a good sailboat, and they 


VI 


PEEFACE 


were not slow to enter a number of contests, in 
some of which they suffered defeat, but the major- 
ity of which they won. 

In the fall the boating season came to an end, 
and talk of football — runs, rushes, tackles, and 
goals — filled the air. Ever on the alert for sport, 
the boys lost no time in organizing a regular 
football club; and in the present story I have re- 
lated what the eleven did on and off the gridiron. 
The rivalry around the lake shore was keen, and 
the boys worked hard striving to become the local 
champions. 

Aside from baseball I think football the greatest 
of our field sports, and, under proper restrictions, 
it should be encouraged. But the play should be 
kept clean, and free from that roughness which 
borders on viciousness. 

Edward Stratemeyer. 

June I, ipop. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I. 

The Lakeport Boys 




page 

I 

11. 

The Accident at the Bridge . 




El 

III. 

Something about Football . 




22 

IV. 

What Happened on Pine Island 




33 

V. 

What Carl Bellman Had to Tell 



44 

VI. 

At the Post-Office 




54 

VII. 

The Railroad Wreck . 




65 

VIII. 

The Lake Football League 




76 

IX. 

A Moonlight Trip .... 




86 

X. 

A Red-hot D'iscussion . 




96 

XL 

How the Meeting Ended . 




107 

XII. 

The First Game of the Series . 




118 

XIII. 

Practice and a Sail 




129 

XIV. 

A Bitter Defeat . ... 




140 

XV. 

Hunting for Dan Marcy . 




151 

XVI. 

The Coach and the Quarter-Back 



161 

XVII. 

A Chapter of Disasters 




172 

XVIII. 

“ I Will ! ” 




183 

XIX. 

Spy Work ...... 




194 

XX. 

In a Blazing Forest . 




204 

XXL 

Joel Runnell to the Rescue . 




215 

XXIL 

A Game of Importance 




226 

XXIII. 

A Thanksgiving Night Adventure 




237 

XXIV. 

A Chase on the Lake . 


. 


247 

XXV. 

Deep in the Woods 


. 


258 


vii 


Vlll 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 


PAGE 

XXVI. 

An Encounter with a Bear 

. 269 

XXVII. 

Something about a Plot .... 

. 279 

XXVIII. 

What the Telephone Told 

. 289 

XXIX. 

Rescuing a Rival 

. 30a 

XXX. 

A Grand Victory— Conclusion . 

. 311 



ILLUSTRATIONS 


It was a magnificent run (page 232) Frontispiece 

FACING 

PAGE 

Si reached around and seized the letter .... 62 

“ What ! Stop, you rascal ! ” bellowed the agent . . 68 

“ I’ll tell you who has been bribing somebody ! — You ! ” . 102 

And a goal it became, Joe doing the kicking . . . 128 

“We’ve smoked him out!” shouted Joel Runnell, glee- 
fully 158 

“ Come on this way I You can’t follow the road! ”... 220 

“ He is coming up ! ” gasped Fred 274 




THE FOOTBALL BOYS OF 
LAKEPORT 


CHAPTER I 

THE LAKEPORT BOYS 

Are you ready, Fred ? 

Will be in a minute — just as soon as this bell 
is tightened on, Harry,” answered Fred Rush. 
“ Is Joe going along? ” 

Yes,” said Harry Westmore. “ And he said 
Link might go, too. Say, I wish we had motor 
cycles instead of these old bicycles, don’t you?” 

“ What’s the matter with wishing for automo- 
biles while you are at it? ” queried Fred Rush, with 
a grin. “ Couldn’t we go spinning around this 
district if we had an auto? My, but it would be 
great ! ” And the eyes of the stout youth glis- 
tened in anticipation. 

“ Who’s talking about autos ? ” asked another 
lad, as he hurried up, trundling a bicycle. He was 
somewhat larger and older than the other two. 


2 


THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


We were, Joe, — but we don’t expect to get 
one,” answered Harry. 

“ Mr. Corsen has got a new one — bought it last 
week,” continued Joe Westmore. He gazed at 
his brother’s wheel. “ Say, that’s pretty rusty- 
looking,” he declared. Leaving it out in the 
barn in that damp weather didn’t do it any good.” 

“ Oh, well, we are only going a few miles,” an- 
swered Harry. 

‘‘ Bicyclists ahoy ! shouted a voice from the 
front of the house. “ Hoist the mainsail and throw 
her over on the other tack ! ” And with this cry 
another boy spun into view on his wheel and circled 
a flower bed and a cistern box. 

'‘Link thinks he is on board the Sprite!'^ cried 
Fred, smiling. 

"Sure thing!” answered the new arrival. 
" Port your helm and set the topsail I ” And Link 
Darrow curved around the flower bed again twice 
in rapid succession. " Come on, if you’re going,” 
he continued. " I’ve got to get back before dark, 
to help my father carry some carpenter’s tools up 
to the Bannister place.” 

" I’m ready,” answered Fred Rush, and pushing 
his bicycle along the garden path of the Westmore 
homestead, he hopped into the saddle and made 
after Link, who was already out in the roadway. 




THE LAKEPOET BOYS 


3 


A second later the two Westmore boys followed 
their chums, and all four of the lads pedaled 
along the street leading to the lake road on the 
west. 

‘‘ What do you say to a little race ? ” suggested 
Harry, after the town had been left behind, and 
they were bowling along over a road which had 
but recently been put in good condition. 

Suits me ! '' cried Link. “ How far ? ” 

Make it to Halpin’s bridge,’’ suggested Joe. 

The first to cross wins.” 

Hold on!” came loudly from Fred. ‘‘Wait 
till I line up, will you ? ” 

“ Sure thing,” responded Link. He gazed at 
the corpulent boy. “ Maybe we ought to make this 
a handicap, in favor of Fred.” 

“ Don’t want any — I’ll beat from scratch ! ” 
was the quick reply. “ Now then, all ready? ” 

“ Ready ! ” was the answering shout. 

“ Then go I ” And away shot the four bicycles, 
side by side, like arrows from bows. 

It was an ideal autumn day for racing, cool and 
clear, with scarcely any breeze blowing. Over- 
head, the afternoon sun shone down brightly. On 
one side of the road, through a fringe of brush- 
wood, could be seen the broad lake, sparkling gayly ; 
on the other was a heavy woods, the leaves of the 


4 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

trees just beginning to show signs of crimson and 
gold. 

To those who have read the previous volumes of 
this “Lakeport Series/’ the lads I have brought 
to the reader’s attention will need no special in- 
troduction. All lived in the town of Lakeport, a 
thriving business center, located at the foot of Pine 
Lake. Here Mr. Westmore, the father of Joe and 
Harry, was a local flour and feed merchant, while 
Mr. Rush kept a general hardware store, and Mr. 
Darrow was a boss carpenter. Some new indus- 
tries had recently located in the town, and the place 
was growing fast. 

Almost two years before the opening of this nar- 
rative, the Westmore boys and Fred Rush had got- 
ten together and organized a gun club. How this 
organization went into winter quarters on Pine 
Island has already been related in detail in “ The 
Gun Club Boys of Lakeport.” The lads took with 
them an old hunter named Joel Runnell, and were, 
later on, joined by Link Darrow, a big youth named 
Bart Mason, and also Teddy Dugan, the son of an 
Irish farmer of the neighborhood. The “ club ” 
hunted and trapped to its heart’s content, and had 
several stirring adventures, the particulars of which 
need not be given here. 

With the coming of summer, the thoughts of the 


THE LAKEPOET BOYS 


5 


boys turned to baseball, and soon a nine was organ- 
ized, with headquarters at Mr. Barrow’s carpenter 
shop. Of this nine, Joe was captain and pitcher, 
Fred catcher, Harry first baseman, and Link second 
baseman. Big Bart Mason covered third, and a 
lively lad named Matt Roscoe was shortstop. The 
outfield was covered by Paul Shale, the best runner 
in Lakeport, and Walter Bannister and Frank Pem- 
berton. A rival nine was immediately organized 
by a rich and overbearing youth of the town named 
Si Voup, who was supported by his particular crony, 
Ike Boardman. A number of hot contests followed, 
as told of in “ The Baseball Boys of Lakeport,” 
and Voup and Boardman, aided by a town ne’er- 
do-well named Dan Marcy, did all in their power 
to bring disaster to our friends. But they over- 
reached themselves, and in the end Si Voup and 
Ike Boardman were glad enough to escape punish- 
ment, while Marcy, having been proved to be a 
thief, was sent to prison. 

During the following winter the boys attended 
school the greater part of the time, although some 
of them had a short outing on Pine Island. Spring 
passed swiftly away, and with the coming of sum- 
mer plans were laid for another good time. Some 
wanted to keep up the baseball playing, and this 
was done to a considerable extent. But then word 


6 


THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


was received that George Dixon and some other 
lads of Brookside, a town up the lake shore, had 
organized a first-class boat club and the ‘‘ fever 
immediately spread. 

“If those fellows can organize a boat club so 
can we,’’ said more than one Lakeport youth, and 
before long the club became a reality, as the readers 
of “ The Boat Club Boys of Lakeport ” know. It 
was rather hard for the boys to get together suffi- 
cient money with which to buy racing shells and 
other paraphernalia, but they accomplished the task 
and were fortunate enough to obtain a second-hand 
outfit which was in first-class order, at a very low 
price. Si Voup wanted to buy this outfit himself, 
and when it was knocked down at auction to Joe 
Westmore and his friends Si was enraged, and 
from that day on did all he could to injure the boat 
club and its chances of success. He and Ike Board- 
man played a number of mean tricks on the boys — 
trying to prove them guilty of injuring a motor 
boat when they had not done the deed at all, and 
allowing Joe to be arrested for a barn-burning when 
he was innocent. Voup also, from a hiding-place, 
hit Harry with a stone from a sling-shot, while 
the latter was rowing a race. But this foul deed 
was seen by a poor boy named Billy Fram, and 
another named Nick Peterson; and as a consequence 


7 


THE LAKEPOET BOYS 

Si Voup and Ike Boardman came near to being 
arrested. Both boys left home hurriedly and re- 
mained away for some time, and meanwhile their 
parents did all that was possible to smooth matters 
over. 

I will see to it that my son does not bother your 
boys again,” said Mr. Voup to Mr. Westmore, and 
Mr. Boardman made a similar promise. Then Si 
and Ike came back. They were very quiet for sev- 
eral days, but then Si’s bullying manner began to 
assert itself as of old, and Ike also showed his 
true nature. 

“ That Westmore crowd think they put me in 
a hole,” said Si Voup to his crony. “ But you just 
^ait — I’ll fix them yet, see if I don’t! ” 

“ Well, I’m with you in anything you do. Si,” 
answered Ike. “ I’m not going to let that crowd 
crow over me — not if I know it. 

“ Whatever we do, we’ve got to be more careful 
than we have been,” pursued the aristocratic bully. 

It won’t do to get caught again — ^my dad won’t 
stand for it.” 

“ Yes, we must be 'mighty careful. By the 
way, do you know what they are talking of 
doing? ” 

Going hunting again, I suppose, when they get 
the chance.” 


8 


THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“No, they are talking of organizing a football 
team,” answered Ike. 

“ Who told you that? ” 

“ Matt Roscoe. That is, I overheard him talking 
to Bart Mason — down at the dock. He said the 
boating season was about over and several of 
the club members were talking strongly of form- 
ing an eleven and getting somebody to coach 
them.” 

“Humph! that’s just like them!” muttered Si. 
“ I can’t get an idea but that they steal it.” 

“ Were you thinking of getting up a football 
team? ” asked Ike, in surprise, for he had not heard 
a word of it before, and his crony usually told him 
everything. 

“ Yes,” answered the bully quickly, although his 
statement was false. “ I’ve been thinking of it 
ever since I came back home. I was going to talk 
to you about it to-day.” 

“Where are you going to get your eleven?” 
questioned Ike, after a pause. He knew only too 
well that Si and himself had lost the greater num- 
ber of their friends during the last year — the better 
class of lads in and around Lakeport refusing to 
have anything further to do with them. 

“ Oh, I’ll get them,” was the lofty answer. “ Just 
you wait and see.” 


THE LAKEPOET BOYS 


9 


‘‘ Who will you get ? ’’ 

‘‘ I can easily get Lem Gaskett, Tad Baker, and 
Charley Paulton.” 

“ Well, that’s three, and we make five. How 
about the others? ” 

“ There are some new families coming to Lake- 
port next week, — the men are going to work in 
the new sash and blind shop and the new paint 
works. Most likely those families will have some 
boys in them. If so, we can easily get a crowd 
together, and I’ll hire a first-class coach to give 
us lessons, so we can wallop every football team 
around here,” continued Si. 

‘‘ Yes, but those boys ” began Ike, and then 

stopped short. He was going to say that he 
thought the newcomers might not be their equals 
socially — being the sons of working men — but he 
realized that he and his crony were not in a position, 
just then, to be too particular, if they wanted to 
get a crowd together. 

If the Westmore crowd are going into football, 
we’ll have to get a hustle on,” went on Si, not 
noticing the break. “ As soon as we get into shape 
we can issue challenges to all the football teams 
around the lake, — and I rather guess that will take 
the wind out of Joe Westmore’s sails. A good 
many of the elevens from up the lake won’t want 


10 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


to play more than one Lakeport club, — so West- 
more will have a job getting dates.” 

“ I heard something more — when I was up to 
Brookside,” continued Ike Boardman. Dixon 
and that crowd are going in for football — they’ve 
had an eleven for three seasons — and they talked 
some of getting up a Lake League, and getting 
the league to put up a Lake Pennant, — sort of 
trophy, you know. There were to be five or six 
teams in the League — one from each town.” 

‘‘ Then that hits me ! ” cried the Lakeport bully. 
“ We’ll organize our football eleven just as soon 
as we can, and apply for entrance into the League. 
If we make a good showing they can’t help but 
take us in — and if they do the Westmore crowd 
will be left out in the cold ! ” 


CHAPTER II 


THE ACCIDENT AT THE BRIDGE 

With never a thought of Si Voup and Ike 
Boardman, or their evil designs, the Westmore 
boys and Fred Rush and Link Darrow sped along 
the lake road leading to Halpin’s bridge. The 
structure was a mile and a half distant, and was 
located about a hundred feet from the lake. It 
spanned a rocky torrent seven or eight yards in 
width. In dry weather this stream did not amount 
to much, but now the heavy equinoctial rains had 
caused it to overflow its banks. 

‘‘ Here we go ! ” shouted Link, as he shot ahead 
of the others. Wish this race was for a ten- 
dollar prize ! 

'' Make it fifty! ’’ panted Fred. He was a good 
rider, but the fast pace made the stout boy breathe 
heavily. 

“ Link, Pm sorry, but here is where I leave you 
behind,” called out Joe, and with a whiz of wheels 
he passed the carpenter’s son and took the 
lead. 


11 


12 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Guess ril have to hump a little,” came from 
Harry, and he increased his speed. Then all of 
the bicyclists spurted for a good quarter of a mile. 
They had to pass two farm wagons and an auto- 
mobile, and as a consequence found themselves 
again in a bunch, with Joe but two yards ahead 
and Fred a wheel behind. 

“ This is going to be close ! ” cried Harry. 

It’s a grind uphill now,” answered his brother. 
And he was right, they now had to ascend a small 
but steep hill. Here it was impossible for Fred 
to keep up, and the corpulent youth dropped further 
and further behind. 

“ Don’t you care,” sang out Harry, glancing 
back at his chum. It will help take some of the 
flesh off of you, — and then you can win the next 
race.” 

“ I haven’t lost this one yet,” snorted Fred. 
“ Don’t crow until you’re over the bridge.” 

“ I’m not crowing,” was the reply. “ Gracious, 
look at Link! He ought to go into a regular en- 
durance race I ” he continued. 

For the carpenter’s son had put on another burst 
of speed, and this took him to the crown of the 
hill while yet the others had twenty yards to cover. 
Then over the top shot Link, and disappeared from 
view on the other side. 


ACCIDENT AT THE BEIDGE 13 


'' It’s Link’s race,” cried Fred. No use in 
trying any more,” and he slackened his speed. 

I’m going to come in second anyway ! ” an- 
swered Joe, and kept on. 

Maybe,” came from Harry, and he continued 
beside his big brother. Both reached the top of the 
hill at the same time, and both gazed down on 
the other side, to where the bridge had been. 

“ Look!” 

“ The bridge is gone 1 ” 

‘‘Where is Link?” 

“ I don’t know.” 

The announcement that the bridge was gone was 
true. Early that morning some workmen had 
taken down the larger portion of the structure, to 
put in new beams and planks. They had placed a 
red flag of danger at the top of the hill, but it 
had fallen down and the bicyclists had failed to 
notice it. 

“ Where is he? ” demanded Joe, riding down to 
the side of the dismantled bridge and leaping from 
his wheel, followed by Harry. He addressed sev- 
eral men, who stood around apparently dazed. 

“ Was that a— a boy on a bicycle? ” gasped one 
of the workmen. 

“ It was,” answered Harry. “ Where did he go ? 
Did he fall into the river?” 


14 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

I guess he did. He came so all-fired quick I 
didn’t get more than a glimpse of him. What made 
him ride so fast ? ” 

“ We were racing.” 

“Didn’t ye see th’ flag?’’ asked another work- 
man. 

No— at least I didn’t,” said Joe. “ But where 
is he? Why didn’t you yell to him to stop? ” 

Didn’t have time to do nuthin’,” said the man 
who had first spoken. ‘‘We was carryin’ them 
timbers from the pile yonder, an’ first thing we 
knowed we heard a rush and a flash and a splash, 
an’ that’s all. We dropped the timbers and rushed 
here, but we couldn’t see nuthin’. Then you 
come.” 

“ He must have gone overboard, wheel and all ! ” 
groaned Harry. 

“If he did, and hit on the rocks, perhaps he’s 
dead,” added his brother solemnly. 

“ Oh, Joe, don’t say that ! ” And Harry’s face 
grew pale. 

The two boys, as well as the workmen, crowded 
to the bank of the rushing torrent, and here Fred 
joined the party. 

“ I see his bicycle ! ” cried Joe, and he pointed 
to a spot down the stream a distance. Here a 
low-hanging bush was partly covered with water. 


ACCIDENT AT THE BRIDGE 15 


and the bicycle had been caught in the twigs and 
held fast. 

With their hearts in their throats, the boys left 
the vicinity of the torn-up bridge and walked slowly 
in the direction of the lake. If Link were floating 
in the water they knew that the force of the current 
would carry him swiftly down the stream. They 
strained their eyes in all directions for a sight of 
their chum. 

There he is! ejaculated Harry presently, and 
pointed down the torrent, to where the stream 
spread out and flowed into Pine Lake. As the 
the boys looked they saw Link come up and wave 
an arm wildly. 

Help I ’’ he called faintly. Help ! help ! ” 

‘'He’ll drown!” screamed Harry. “He must 
be hurt! Oh, what shall we do?” 

“ Is there a boat around here? ” yelled Joe, to the 
workmen, who had followed the boys down the 
shore. 

“ I have a boat,” answered one of the men. 
“ It’s over here! ” And he ran for the lake front. 

“ Help him to row over to Link,” called out 
the older Westmore boy to his brother and Fred. 
“ ni see if I can’t reach him by swimming.” 

As the others made for the boat, which was quite 
a distance away, Joe threw off his coat, vest, and 


16 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

hat, and fairly ripped off his shoes. Then he ran 
still further down the bank of the stream, and 
reaching a point almost opposite the youth in dis- 
tress, plunged in. 

‘‘ Help ! help ! '' came more feebly from Link. 

I am drowning! 

Keep up. Link ! I’ll soon be with you I ” yelled 
Joe. ‘‘ Keep up I Do your best 1 ” 

As my old readers know, Joe was a strong swim- 
mer, and now, with a life hanging in the balance, 
he made every stroke tell. Regardless of what 
clothing he wore, he pushed steadily through the 
cold water. But while he was still several yards 
away, he saw Link throw up his hands and go 
down. 

In the meantime, Fred, Harry, and the workman 
had reached the rowboat, which was chained by 
a padlock to a stout post. 

“ Quick — the key I ” gasped Harry. 

‘‘ Yes, yes! ” answered the workman, but he was 
so confused that he fumbled in all of his pockets 
without bringing forth the desired article. 

“ Where is it? ” demanded Fred, tugging frantic- 
ally at the chain, in an endeavor to break it. 

‘‘ I — I had it this morning,” faltered the work- 
man. “ I — I ” He did not know how to go 

on. 


ACCIDENT AT THE BEIDGE 17 


We must get the boat loose somehow/' cried 
Harry determinedly. ‘‘ Let us smash down the 
post." 

He and Fred were trying to do this when the 
workman found the key, in the lining of his vest. 
Then the chain was freed, and both boys leaped 
into the craft and took up the oars. 

Never mind — we can row alone," said Harry 
to the workman. ‘‘We belong to the Lakeport 
Boat Club." 

“ All right, go ahead," answered the man, glad 
to be relieved of further responsibility. 

It made Joe’s heart throb with pain to see Link 
go under, but not for a moment did he relinquish 
his efforts to save him chum. He fairly threw him- 
self forward, and then dove down and caught one 
hand of the carpenter’s son. Link was now half 
unconscious, and he grasped Joe in a deathlike 
grip, impossible to break. 

“ Do — don’t ! ’’ gasped Joe, when he had brought 
his friend to the surface. “ Don’t hold so tight, 
or we’ll both go down! I’ve got you. Link! Let 
go your hold ! please ! ’’ 

But Link was in no condition to pay attention, 
and he continued to hang on, and it was only by 
treading water vigorously that Joe managed to keep 
his mouth above the surface of Pine Lake. He 


18 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

looked around anxiously for the rowboat, but it had 
not yet left the shore. 

‘‘I must get him to the shore somehow, or at 
least to shallow water,” thought Joe. He now 
realized that poor Link was no longer responsible 
for his actions. The semi-unconscious youth had 
almost a strangle-hold on his neck. 

Striking out as best he could, Joe made for the 
shore. But even as he did this he felt his breath 
cut off and everything commenced to grow dim 
before his eyes. It came over his mind that both 
he and Link would go down, not to rise again. 

An unexpected yelling came to his ears, where 
from he could not tell. There followed the puffing 
of a steam launch, and a moment later the end 
of a boathook was thrust under his arm. He 
caught hold, and strong hands raised him and his 
burden up. 

“Why, it’s Joe Westmore and that Harrow 
boy ! ” he heard a familiar voice cry out. “ How 
fortunate we came along in time to save them ! ” 
And then both lads were lifted over the side of 
the launch and placed on the little deck. 

“Mr. Corsen!” gasped Joe, when he saw one 
of the men on the steam launch. 

“Yes, Joe, and just in the nick of time, I am 
glad to say,” answered Munroe Corsen. “ I am 


ACCIDENT AT THE BRIDGE 19 

glad to be of service to you and your friend/’ he 
continued warmly. ‘‘ It gives me a little chance 
to pay back what you and your brother and friends 
have done for me.” 

Mr. Corsen was a rich gentleman who resided 
in Lakeport. He had a small daughter named 
Violet, and, as my old readers know, the West- 
more boys and some others had done him several 
great services. Once Harry had saved Violet from 
the attack of an angry bull, and on another occa- 
sion, when the little miss had been abducted by 
some men who wanted a large sum of money for 
her return, the boys, led by Joe, had rescued the 
girl and brought her back to her parents in safety. 
Small wonder it was, therefore, that Munroe Corsen 
was glad to do Joe and Link a service in return. 

I jumped in to save Link,” explained Joe, when 
he felt able to speak. And in a few words he told 
of the bicycle race and the torn-away bridge. ‘‘ I 
see he’s cut on the head. He must have struck 
some part of the bridge or the rocks when he went 
down.” 

Mr. Corsen was the only passenger on the steam 
tug, which had been chartered by the rich man to 
take him to a certain point up the lake. He went 
to work at once over Link, and the captain of the 
tug helped him. The sufferer had swallowed a 


20 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

little water, but the cut on his head was what had 
weakened him. This was bound up, and soon he 
opened his eyes and sat up. 

‘‘ Is he all right?” asked Harry, from the row- 
boat, as that craft swept up to the steam launch. 

“ He’s coming around,” answered his brother. 

‘‘ And what about you, Joe? ” called Fred. 

Oh, I’m all right,” was the modest answer. 
Joe did not want to tell how Link had nearly 
strangled him, and how close both had been to 
going under. 

“ It was a narrow escape,” went on Harry. 
'‘We tried to get here before, but couldn’t get 
the rowboat loose,” and he told about the padlock 
and the missing key. 

" I think we had better take Link home,” said 
Munroe Corsen, after the general excitement had 
died down a little. “ A doctor ought to look at that 
cut and plaster it up so it won’t leave a nasty 
mark.” 

" Were you going to town? ” asked the carpen- 
ter’s son faintly. 

" No, but that doesn’t matter. I’ll take you home 
first and then go up the lake.” 

" We’ve got our wheels on the road,” said Joe. 

" Bring them aboard the launch and we’ll take 
you all back,” said the rich gentleman. “ That is. 


ACCIDENT AT THE BRIDGE 21 


unless you want to go on riding.” And he looked 
questioningly at Fred and Harry. 

“ I guess we’ve lost interest in going further,” 
answered Fred. “ I know I have.” 

“ Thank you, we’ll go back with you,” said 
Harry. ‘‘ Just let us return this rowboat and get 
the bicycles.” 

“ Well, I didn’t win that race after all,” said 
Link grimly. “ For I didn’t go over the bridge ! ” 

“ Never mind, it’s yours anyway,” answered Joe, 
and the others nodded to show that they agreed. 


CHAPTER III 


SOMETHING ABOUT FOOTBALL 

“ You look as if you had been in a football 
scrimmage,” remarked Munroe Corsen, as he gazed 
at Link’s bound-up forehead and smiled faintly. 

“ Yes, and I feel like it,” was the reply. 

“How did the accident happen?” asked Fred. 
The rowboat had been taken to shore and the 
bicycles brought aboard, and the steam launch was 
now headed for Lakeport. 

“ It all came so quickly I can’t give you many 
details,” answered the carpenter’s son. “ When 
I reached the top of the hill some bushes hid the 
bridge — or rather, the spot where the bridge ought 
to have been — from view. I took my feet from 
the pedals and commenced to coast. All at once 
I saw that the bridge was gone, but then it was too 
late to do anything. Before I could get my feet 
on the pedals again — I have no brake, you know — 
I reached the spot. I turned to escape crashing 
into some timbers, and then I shot overboard, wheel 
and all. I came down in about four or five feet 
22 


ABOUT FOOTBALL 


23 


of water, and that broke my fall a little, otherwise 
I might have broken my neck. I struck my head 
and got tangled in the wheel, and the current of 
the stream carried me down toward the lake. Then 
I kicked the wheel away and tried to catch hold 
of some bushes. But I couldn’t, and the next I 
knew everything got black in front of my eyes, 
and then I began to yell for help for all I was 
worth. I remember Joe catching hold of me, and 
that’s all. Joe, you saved my life and I shall 
never forget it ! ” added Link gratefully. 

I suppose you could have swum ashore if it 
hadn’t been for the crack on the head,” said Fred. 

“ Yes, that would have been easy. But the blow 
mixed me up, so that I couldn’t tell where the shore 
was.” 

“ He certainly does look as if he had been in 
a football fight — or worse,” remarked Harry. 
“ Link, this won’t do. You want to wait until we 
get on the gridiron.” And he smiled faintly. 

'' I presume, now that boating is almost at an 
end, you boys will go in for football,” said Mr. 
Corsen. 

‘‘ There has been some talk of it,” answered Joe. 
‘‘ I understand the Brookside fellows are organizing 
an eleven, and Fd like to play against them first- 
rate.” 


24 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Well, if you organize an eleven, let me know,” 
went on the rich gentleman. “ You can, of course, 
use my boathouse for a clubhouse, if you wish,” 
he continued. During the summer he had granted 
them the use of his elegant boathouse, and in it 
were stored their handsome racing shells, single, 
and four-oared and eight-oared. 

‘‘ Oh, Mr. Corsen, that would be fine ! exclaimed 
Harry enthusiastically. “ But don’t you want to 
use the boathouse yourself?” 

‘‘ I may wish to use a corner, for one or two 
boats, but that will be all,” was the answer. “ No, 
you may use it, and if you organize a football team 
I trust you play to win.” 

We surely will ! ” cried Fred. 

‘‘ I have heard some talk of football,” pursued the 
rich gentleman. “ Mr. White told me about it. He 
says they expect to have elevens at Brookside, Cam- 
dale, Bralham, and several other places, and that 
there is some talk of getting up a Lake League and 
offering a handsome pennant as a trophy.” 

Say, I’d like to get in that and win the pen- 
nant,” murmured Harry. 

‘‘ So would I,” added Fred. 

‘‘ Mr. White said something that might interest 
you,” continued Munroe Corsen. “ I don’t suppose 
you lads ever heard of Carl Bellman.” The boys 


ABOUT FOOTBALL 


25 


shook their heads. Well, six years ago Carl Bell- 
man was a guard on the eleven at Harnell College, 
and made a brilliant record. He is now in business 
in Lakeport, being analytical chemist for the new 
paint works. Mr. White knows him, and he said 
that perhaps Mr. Bellman might coach you, if 
you got up an eleven and went into the Lake 
League.’’ 

‘‘ Say, that would be great ! ” cried Harry. 

Fine — especially if this Mr. Bellman was as 
good as Mr. White,” added Joe. The Mr. White in 
question was Rockley White, who, as my old 
readers know, had coached them in their rowing 
and made it possible for them to win some stub- 
bornly-contested races. 

“No amateur football eleven could have a better 
teacher than Mr. Bellman,’' answered Munroe Cor- 
sen. “ He is a great favorite at Harnell and at 
several preparatory schools. Last autumn he 
coached the boys at Blixton Preparatory School 
and at Rockwood Military Academy, and both 
elevens did exceedingly well.” 

“ Then, if we do get together, will you and Mr. 
White put in a good word for us, with Mr. Bell- 
man?” asked Fred anxiously. 

“ Willingly,” answered the rich gentleman. “ But 
first you had better get Link on his feet again,” he 


26 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


added, for he saw that the carpenter's son had 
leaned back on his seat and had his eyes closed. 

“ Oh, I’ll be all right again in a few days," cried 
the hurt boy, opening his eyes. You can’t kill me 
off so easily." And he tried to smile. 

The run to Lakeport soon came to an end, and 
Mr. Corsen insisted upon calling a carriage, in 
which he had the sufferer driven to the office of a 
physician. Here the wound was dressed and 
plastered up with care. 

“ It will leave only a faint mark when healed," 
said the doctor. “ It is not at all a dangerous cut. 
But the shock was rather severe, and the lad better 
take it easy for a few days." 

How much will it be, doctor?" asked the 
carpenter’s son. I’ll have to bring you the money 
later — I haven’t any with me." 

“ That’s all right. Link," put in Mr. Corsen. 

Doctor Gates is our regular family physician, and 
I’ll attend to this charge. Don’t you bother your 
head about it.” 

“ Thank you, sir — ^you are very kind." 

“ I haven’t forgotten what you boys did for me — 
and I don’t intend to forget,” returned Munroe 
Corsen simply. 

Link went home and Harry went with him, with 
the bicycle that had gone overboard. The chain of 


ABOUT FOOTBALL 27 

the machine had been broken and several spokes 
bent, but otherwise no damage had been done. 

“ Why, Link, what has happened ? cried Mrs. 
Darrow, as she caught sight of her son. 

It’s all right — only a little cut,” he answered 
quickly. ‘‘ Don’t get frightened.” And then he 
told his story. 

“ It was brave of Joe Westmore to rescue you — 
and good of Mr. Corsen, too. Those men who tore 
up the bridge and didn’t warn you ought to be 
prosecuted. But that’s just the way Blader & Car- 
nick work. Your father ought to have had the con- 
tract for that new bridge.” And then Mrs. Dar- 
row bustled around to get her son some dry clothing 
and some hot coffee to drink. 

It soon became noised around that Link had met 
with an accident, and several of his chums came to 
his house to see him. 

You were lucky not to get killed,” said Paul 
Shale. “ I had an accident like that once. It was 
when we were playing hare and hounds. I was 
running along the gully road when I slipped and 
went into the water below. I hit on my head, and 
for several minutes I didn’t know a thing. When 
I got up I had a lump on my head as big as an egg.’' 

“Where have you been to-day?” asked the 
carpenter’s son. 


28 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


‘‘ I went out in the Sprite , — took Matt and Wal- 
ter along/' answered Paul. “ And say, what do 
you think? We met Si Voup in his motor boat, 
along with Ike Boardman and four other fellows.'’ 

‘‘ What other fellows ? " questioned Harry, who 
had remained with Link. 

‘‘ They were some of those boys who have just 
moved into town," answered Matt Roscoe. The 
sash and blind factory and paint works people." 

‘‘ Oh ! I was pretty sure Si and Ike couldn't 
scrape up four of the old crowd," came from Harry. 

Everybody is down on them since they acted so 
meanly toward us." 

They were giving those new boys the time of 
their lives," said Walter Bannister. “ They had a 
lunch basket along, and a lot of bottles of soft 
drinks, and some of the crowd were smoking ciga- 
rettes." 

“ Humph ! If that's the case. I'll tell you one 
thing," came from Link. “ Si Voup and Ike Board- 
man are doing that for a purpose. They've got an 
ax to grind." 

‘‘ I reckon they feel lonely and want to make 
new friends," said Matt. ‘‘Gracious, if all our 
crowd went back on me I'd want to die," he added. 

“ So would I," acquiesced Paul. “ But Si and 
Ike have nobody to blame but themselves." 


ABOUT FOOTBALL 29 

“ Speaking of our enemies,” remarked Paul, 

I’ve got news. Dan Marcy is out of prison.” 

“Out of prison!” exclaimed Harry. “Why, 
he was sent up for several years 1 ” 

“ So I thought myself, but he’s got out some- 
how.” 

“ Hope he doesn’t come to Lakeport,” said 
Link. 

The person they referred to was a big, lazy fel- 
low of about twenty, who had been the terror of 
Lakeport for several years. At various times Dan 
Marcy had done things which were against the 
law, and at last he was found out and sent to prison, 
as I have mentioned before. He was such a rough 
and brutal fellow that most of the young people of 
Lakeport were afraid of him. 

“ I never want to see Dan Marcy again,” said 
Walter. 

“Nor I,” came simultaneously from several 
others. 

The accident to Link had happened on Friday 
afternoon, after school, so he had a chance to rest 
all day Saturday and Sunday. It may be added 
here that nearly all the boys attended the local 
academy, being members of the three upper classes. 

On Saturday afternoon half a dozen of the lads 
met at the boathouse and, later on, went for a sail 


30 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


in the Sprite, a fine sloop owned by Paul Shale’s 
uncle. On this trip the scheme for organizing a 
football club was again discussed. 

We can do it as easily as eating pie,” said Matt. 
‘‘ I am sure if we can play baseball we can play foot- 
ball too. Let’s get together right away, and go in 
for practice until we can kick the stuffing out of 
any football that comes along.” Matt was always 
ready to do things with a rush. 

Footballs don’t happen to have any stuffing,” 
answered Fred, with a laugh. 

‘‘Oh, well, you know what I mean. Kick the 
ball for a goal — or make a run of thirty or forty 
yards. It’s dead easy when you know how.” 

That’s just it,” said Joe. “ When you know 
how. We don’t want to go into this in any kind 
of a haphazard fashion. We made a splendid 
record on the baseball field, and at boat racing, and 
we don’t want to spoil it all on the gridiron. Why, 
the Brookside fellows and those in the other towns 
are just aching to square accounts with Lakeport! 
If they could wipe up the earth with us they’d never 
get done crowing over it.” 

They shan’t wipe up the earth with us! ” cried 
Fred. ‘ I can play football already — and so can 
most of us — and all we want is a well-selected 
eleven and proper coaching.” 


ABOUT FOOTBALL 31 

“And if we can get Mr. Bellman to coach 
us ” began Harry. 

“ That’s the point,” finished his brother. “ Can 
we do it? He didn’t come here to coach — he came 
here to work. I’ve learned that the paint com- 
pany is paying him a big salary, four or five thou- 
sand dollars a year. Maybe he won’t want to 
bother with us.” 

“ We can ask him,” said Paul. 

“ I thought I’d speak to Mr. White about it. He 
knows Mr. Bellman well — and that may count in 
our favor.” 

“ All right, Joe, speak to him as soon as you get 
the chance,” answered Fred. “ If we are going to 
get together this fall we don’t want to lose any 
more time. They are already playing football at 
Camdale, so I’ve heard.” 

“ I’ll speak to Mr. White the first chance I get,” 
answered Joe. 

The boys had several hours to themselves, and as 
there was a good breeze blowing it was decided to 
run up to Pine Island, where they had spent so many 
pleasant days camping out. Paul was at the tiller 
of the sloop, and he handled the handsome craft as 
if he were in a race. 

“ No use in talking, you are a born sailor,” said 
Harry admiringly. 


32 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Well, to tell the truth, I like to sail a boat better 
than to eat,'' answered Paul. 

It was not long after this that the boys came in 
sight of the island, which was irregular in shape 
and well-wooded. 

Shall we go ashore? " asked Fred, I shouldn't 
mind stretching my legs a bit." 

‘‘ All right, ashore it is," said Paul, and the sails 
were lowered, and he brought the craft to rest in a 
rocky harbor. All leaped to land, and the 'Sprite 
was tied fast to a tree. 


CHAPTER IV 


WHAT HAPPENED ON PINE ISLAND 

‘‘ I THINK I know a spot where we can get a lot 
of chestnuts/' said Fred. 

Where ? " questioned Harry. 

“ Over at the three pointed rocks. Don't you 
remember the chestnut trees there ? " 

“Just the thing, Fred! Will the rest of you go 
chestnutting ? " 

All were willing, although Paul was a little doubt- 
ful about leaving the sloop alone. 

“ Oh, she’ll be safe enough,” said Joe. “ I don’t 
believe anybody is around here. Just make sure 
the rope is well tied.” And Paul did as advised. 

They were soon trudging over the rocks and 
through the bushes, toward the spot the stout youth 
had mentioned. All knew the chestnut trees there, 
and knew that in the autumn they were usually 
loaded with nuts. 

“ The nuts will be better a little later on — after 
we have had more frost,” said Joe. “ But we can 
get some anyway.” 


33 


34 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Yes, we’d better,’' advised Matt. ‘‘If we wait 
too long, maybe those Italians from Camdale will 
come over and skin the trees. They are the greatest 
folks for nuts I ever saw ! ” 

A quarter of an hour of brisk walking brought 
the lads to the grove of chestnut trees, and without 
delay they set to work to gather the nuts. Matt, 
who was as limber as a gymnast, climbed one tree, 
and Harry climbed another, and by vigorous shak- 
ing sent down a perfect shower of the nuts. 

“If we had only brought bags along!’' sighed 
Joe. 

“ Let us fill all our pockets,’' answered Fred. 

“ I’ve got a newspaper,” said Paul. “ We can 
make cornucopias of that, and fill ’em,” and this 
was done. 

Before long the boys had all the chestnuts they 
could carry, and then Paul said they had better re- 
turn to the sloop. He had scarcely uttered the 
words when Matt gave a yell : 

“ A snake ! A snake I ’' 

“ Where ? ” demanded several boys in unison. 

“There, gliding under that rock! My, but he 
was a big fellow,” went on Matt. “ He scared me, 
he did.” 

“Was it a rattler?” asked Harry uneasily. He 
did not fancy snakes. 


35 


ON PINE ISLAND 

“ I don’t know. I didn’t hear him rattle.” 

‘‘ Let us poke him out and kill him,” suggested 
another boy. 

Oh, don’t bother ! ” cried Harry. 

‘‘ I don’t like snakes on this island,” said Fred. 

I wish they were all gone — it would make camp- 
ing so much safer.” 

The majority of the boys agreed with the corpu- 
lent youth, and putting aside their cornucopias of 
nuts, they armed themselves with sticks and stones 
and commenced to poke around for the snake. 

It’s too bad we didn’t bring a shotgun,” said 
Joe. “ A good shot would finish his snakeship in 
short order.” 

“ Here he comes ! ” shouted Matt, as the snake 
darted forth from under the rock. Let him have 
it!” 

Several stones were flung, and also a heavy stick, 
and the reptile was hit in several places. But it 
was not seriously injured. It hissed viciously, 
raised its head, and glided swiftly in the direction of 
Fred. 

“ Get out of here ! ” yelled the stout youth, and 
backed away as fast as he was able. He did not 
see a small rock that was in the way, and over he 
tumbled on his back while the snake continued to 
advance upon him. 


36 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


The other.ft were alarmed at the sudden turn of 
affairs, but Joe managed to keep his head. The 
snake was about six feet long, and as it darted 
along Joe gave a jump and landed on the tail, pin- 
ning it to the ground. Then, as the reptile whipped 
around to learn how it had been attacked, the 
youth leaped on and out of danger. 

“Good for you, Joe!” cried Fred, and turning 
over he arose as rapidly as his stoutness permitted. 

When the snake whipped around, Paul, by sheer 
good luck, struck it in the middle with a stone. Then 
another boy hit it with a stick. At this the reptile 
began to circle around, whipping this way and that 
so rapidly that the boys were almost dazed. 

But Harry was the one to bring the strange ex- 
hibition to an end. lie held in his hand an extra 
sharp stone, and letting this fly with all his might he 
luckily caught the snake a few inches back of the 
head. This blow stunned the reptile, and though it 
continued to whip around, much of its power was 
gone. Seeing this, the others ran in with their 
clubs, and soon the creature was lifeless, although 
it still continued to curl and uncurl as it lay on the 
rocks. 

“Ugh!” cried Fred in disgust. “Come on, — 
IVe had enough of this ! ” And he started off in 
the direction of the sloop. 


ON PINE ISLAND 37 

‘‘ Don’t you want to hunt up a few more? ” asked 
Joe. 

‘‘Not on your life, Joe! Do come on — before 
another shows itself.” 

“ I’m going to take this snake along to stuff,” 
said Matt. “ Might have a lot of fun with it in 
school, you know,” he added. 

“ If you bring it along, don’t come near me I ” 
cried Harry. “ If there is one thing I hate it is 
a snake.” 

“ This one is past hurting anybody,” answered 
Matt, and taking a bit of string from his pocket he 
made a loop and fastened the dead reptile in it. 
Then he tied the string to a stick, which he placed 
over his shoulder. 

Carrying their loads of chestnuts as carefully as 
possible, the boys pushed through the bushes and 
over the rocks to where they had left the Sprite. 
The encounter with the snake had sobered them a 
trifle and but little was said for some time. 

“ Do you know, I’d like to camp out here again 
this winter,” declared Harry. “ We had some 
dandy times here, even if we did have trouble with 
old Skeetles and Dan Marcy.” 

“ Right you are,” declared another boy. “ Let us 
come by all means — when we get the chance.” 

As the lads came in sight of the lake front, Paul, 


38 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

who was slightly in advance, uttered an exclama- 
tion: 

‘‘ Well, I never ! ’’ 

What is it, Paul?’’ queried Joe. 

“ Somebody is aboard the 'Sprite! ” 

It is Dan Marcy ! ” ejaculated Harry. 

“Yes, and he is untying the boat!” burst out 
Joe. “ He is going to run off with her 1 ” 

“ Stop that, Marcy ! ” called out Paul, and drop- 
ping his cornucopia of chestnuts he leaped forward 
to the lake shore. 

Dan Marcy, burlier and more brutal-looking than 
ever, glanced up quickly. He had hoped to get 
away in the craft unobserved, and being detected 
disconcerted him for the instant. 

“ Get out of my boat ! ” cried Paul wrath fully. 
“ Get out, I say, and be quick about it.” 

“ I ain’t hurtin’ nuthin’,” growled Dan Marcy. 

“ You have no right to enter the boat.” 

“ I found her here all alone. I didn’t know who 
she belonged to,” grumbled the man who had just 
come from prison. 

He was still fumbling with the rope, and now the 
end dropped free. With a quick motion of a boat- 
hook, the rascal shoved the sloop out into deep water 
and fully fifteen feet away from the rocks. 

“ What are you up to ? ” gasped Paul, who could 


ON PINE ISLAND 39 

not, for the moment, believe the evidence of his eye- 
sight. 

Going to take a little sail, that’s all,” chuckled 
Marcy. 

“ Come back with that boat this instant ! ” roared 
Paul. 

If you don’t we’ll shoot you ! ” sang out Harry, 
thinking he might scare the rascal. 

Don’t you shoot at me ! ” yelled the man from 
prison. He glanced at them nervously. “ I guess 
you ain’t got no pistols,” he added, failing to catch 
sight of any firearms, and his changed tones showed 
his relief. 

‘‘ If you don’t come back I’ll give you something 
worse than a pistol shot ! ” sang out Matt suddenly, 
struck by a clever idea. “ Do you see this ? ” He 
held up the stick with the snake attached, shaking 
the wood so that the snake twisted and turned in a 
lifelike manner. “ I’ve got a deadly rattler here, 
and if you don’t bring the sloop in I’ll throw it on 
board to keep you company.” 

‘‘ No ! no ! no ! no ! Don’t you do it ! ” screamed 
Dan Marcy, who was deadly afraid of all reptiles 
and especially those which are poisonous. ‘‘ Don’t 
you do it! He might bite me and I’d be a dead 
man! No! no! Keep it away!” And his white 
face showed his abject terror. 


40 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

‘‘ Then bring the sloop in,” added Matt, giving 
the snake a swing, as if to launch it at the deck of 
the Sprite. This movement caused Marcy to put up 
one arm as if to guard himself. He lost his bal- 
ance, clutched at the air, and then fell into the lake 
with a loud splash. 

‘‘ He has gone overboard ! ” cried Paul. 

Guess I scared him into a fit,” remarked Matt, 
with a grin. 

“ If you did, it served him right,” added 
Harry. 

‘‘ Aren’t you glad I brought the snake along? ” 
Yes.” 

Dan Marcy floundered around in the water for 
several seconds. Then, as he came close to the 
rocks, Joe caught him by his hair. 

Let go o’ me, Joe Westmore ! ” spluttered the 
man from prison. 

“Not much! I want you to come ashore,” 
answered the youth. “ I am not going to give you 
the chance to swim to the Sprite.'^ 

“ Don’t you — you hit me 1 ” went on Marcy. The 
cold water had taken away much of his assertive- 
ness. 

“ I am not going to hit you, I am only going to 
hold you.” 

“ And ni help,” put in Harry, and came to his 


ON PINE ISLAND 


41 


brother’s aid, catching Marcy by the arm. Then 
the bully was allowed to clamber up on the rocks, 
where he was quickly surrounded. With so many 
against him he looked much disconcerted. 

“ I wasn’t goin’ to do nuthin’ with the boat,” he 
grumbled. I only untied her for fun.” 

I don’t believe you,” answered Paul shortly. 

Wonder how I can get to the Sprite? ” he added, 
to his chums. 

‘‘The wind is blowing her out!” cried Fred. 

His statement was correct, and all of the boys 
realized that soon the craft would be well out in 
the lake. 

“ We might swim to her, — ^but the water is pretty 
cold,” suggested Joe. 

“ Wait,” returned Paul. He turned to Dan 
Marcy. “ Have you a boat handy? ” 

“ Not much of a one,” answered the prisoner 
surlily. 

“ How did you get to the island ? ” demanded Joe. 

“ In an old skiff. But she leaks like a sieve and 
I’ve got to patch her up.” 

“ And that’s why you were going to steal my 
sloop ! ” cried Paul, sharply. “ Dan Marcy, you 
ought to be sent back to jail again ! ” 

“ I wasn’t doin’ nuthin’, I tell you ! ” growled 
Marcy. “ Just because I’ve been in jug you’re all 


42 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


down on me ! ’’ he added bitterly. I got in the 
boat for fun, nuthin’ else.’’ 

Tell that to the mermaids ! ” cried Harry. At 
these words Dan Marcy gave a black look. He 
started to speak again, but shut his teeth with a snap 
and remained silent. 

“ I’ll swim for the sloop, I can do it easily,” said 
Paul, and lost no time in disrobing. Then he 
plunged into the clear waters of Pine Lake and with 
steady strokes made for the Sprite. It did not take 
him long to reach the craft, and then he poled her 
back to the rocks. 

‘‘ What shall we do with Marcy ? ” whispered 
Harry to Paul, while the latter was dressing. 

‘‘ Oh, I don’t know that we can do anything,” 
was the answer. “ We don’t want to get into any 
more trouble with him.” 

The others had released the ex-convict, and 
Marcy stood gazing at them sourly as one after 
another leaped aboard the sloop. 

'' Say, will you take me to the shore over there ? ” 
he asked, as the boys prepared to depart. 

Don’t do it,” said Joe to Paul. 

I don’t intend to,” was Paul’s reply. He looked 
at Marcy. You can stay here.” 

“ My skiff leaks I tell you — I can’t use her.” 

^ ‘‘ Then swim for it,” said Harry. 


ON PINE ISLAND 


43 


‘‘ Just you wait ! ” snarled Dan Marcy, shaking 
his fist at the boys. ‘'Just you wait! I’m the 
under dog in the fight now, but — well, wait, that’s 
all I ” And scowling darkly he turned and plunged 
into the woods of Pine Island. 


CHAPTER V 


WHAT CARL BELLMAN HAD TO TELL 

‘‘What do you think he’ll do?” asked Harry, 
after Pine Island had been left in the distance and 
the Sprite was tacking on her way back to Lakeport. 

“ I’m sure I don’t know,” returned his brother. 
“ Fellows like Dan Marcy are bad enough to do 
anything.” 

“ He gave me a terrible look — ^just as if he wanted 
to spring at my throat,” and Harry shuddered. “ I 
wish he’d keep away from Lakeport.” 

“ I suppose he blames us for being sent to prison,” 
said Joe. 

“ He’ll have a job of it getting away from the 
island,” observed Matt. “ My ! how this dead snake 
of mine did scare him ! ” 

“Let him patch up his. skiff,” said Fred. “A 
little work won’t hurt him.” 

The boys continued on their course to Lakeport, 
and just before they reached that place they came 
in sight of a big rowboat, containing a man dressed 
in the garb of a hunter, and a girl of about Harry’s 
age. 


44 


CARL BELLMAN 45 

‘‘Hello, there is Joel Runnell!” cried Fred. 
“ And his daughter Cora is with him.’’ 

Joel Runnell was the old hunter and trapper who 
had accompanied the gun club on its winter outing 
on Pine Island. He was a great favorite with the 
boys of Lakeport, and he lived, with his daughter, 
who kept house for him, in a little cottage up the 
other shore of the lake, almost opposite the island. 

“ Boat club, ahoy ! ” sang out the hunter cheerily, 
as he recognized the Sprite. “Out fer another 
sailin’ race, eh ? ” 

“ Not to-day,” answered Joe. “ How are you? ” 
and he and the other lads tipped their hats to Cora, 
who nodded and blushed in return. 

“ Oh, I’m right side up with care, as the porcu- 
pine said to the lion,” chuckled the old hunter. 
“ Been over to town to do a leetle shoppin’. Got 
Cora a new dress an’ hat. She’s going to the girls’ 
school this winter — the one at Brookside.” 

“ Oh, that’s nice ! ” said Joe, to the girl. 

“ She’s goin’ to have an eddication,” continued 
Joel Runnell. “ She wants it an’ she’s a-goin’ to 
have it. Been up to the island ? ” 

“ Yes, we got some chestnuts,” answered 
Harry. 

“ Oh, we must get some too, papa ! ” cried Cora. 

“ Here’s a bag full! ” cried Fred. “ Catch it! ” 


46 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


And he flung the bag into the rowboat and Cora 
caught it with ease. 

‘‘ Thank you very much ! ” 

“ Whom do you think we met on the island ? ’’ 
went on Harry. ‘‘ Dan Marcy.’’ 

“ What, that good-fer-nuthin’ ! ’’ cried the old 
hunter. What was he doin’ there ? I heard they 
let him out of jail fer good behavior. Reckon it’s 
the one time Dan behaved hisself.” 

In a few words the boys told what had occurred. 
Joel Runnell shook his head dubiously. 

“ He’s a bad egg, he is. I don’t want him to 
come around my home.” 

‘‘ No, indeed,” cried Cora Runnell. “ I’d be 
scared to death if he did come.” 

I see that Voup boy and that Ike Boardman 
around ag’in, too,” continued the old hunter, as if 
he classed the lads mentioned with Dan Marcy. 

Well, ‘ it never rains but we get a flood,’ as the 
say in’ goes. Good-bye ! ” And, with a parting 
wave of his hand, the old hunter resumed his 
rowing. The boys tipped their hats again to Cora 
and she waved her handkerchief after them. 

‘‘ A fine man, even if he is poor,” declared Paul. 

I hope Cora gets the education she wants,” 
said Fred. “ She deserves it. Maybe she’ll get 
to be a teacher some day.” 


CARL BELLMAN 47 

Or get married,’' added one of the other boys 
dryly. 

‘‘ Oh, say, fellows, I’ve got an idea ! ” burst 
out Matt suddenly. And then he shut up just as 
quickly. 

“What’s the idea?” questioned Paul. 

“ Oh, never mind — it will keep,” answered the 
fun-loving youth. 

He had been looking at the dead snake and 
wondering what fun he could get out of it, and 
there had drifted over his mind the recollection 
of a joke he had once played upon Si Voup. Si 
had pretended to be very lame from an encounter 
with some of the boys, and meeting him. Matt had 
yelled “ Mad dog ! ” This had so scared the rich 
boy that he had legged it for dear life, — and 
gotten roundly laughed at for the scare. Now 
Matt was thinking of Si again. 

“ I’ll do it — if I get the chance,” he told him- 
self. 

On Sunday a majority of the boys went to 
church and Sunday school, and in the afternoon 
Joe, Harry, Fred, and Matt took a walk, stopping 
on the way to see how Link was faring. They 
found the carpenter’s son sitting at a window, 
reading a book. 

“ I’ll be all right by to-morrow,” he said. “ But 


48 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


I am not going back to school until Tuesday or 
Wednesday. And what do you think? That firm 
who were putting up the new bridge got scared — 
thinking my father would sue them for damages — 
and they paid us fifty dollars to sign off.” 

Tm glad to hear you got something out of 
them,” answered Harry. '' They ought to suffer 
for their carelessness.” 

I think part of that money ought to go to 
Joe,” went on Link. “ Father thinks so, too, and 
so does mother. They want me to divide.” 

No, you keep it,” answered Joe. 

But I don’t think it’s fair,” insisted the car- 
penter’s son. 

“ Yes, it is. Put it in the bank.” 

‘‘ Well, Joe, if you won’t take part of it, I know 
what I’ll do,” continued Link. Father is willing, 
too.” 

What?” 

Spend ten dollars of it on a football suit — if 
we organize a club.” 

‘"Good!” cried Fred. “Oh, we’ve got to 
organize one,” he went on. “If that "Lake 
League scheme goes through Lakeport must be 
represented.” 

“ I am going to write to George Dixon about it 
to-morrow,” said Joe. “ They tell me he is at the 


GAEL BELLMAN 49 

head of the movement. I’ll tell him who is in 
this with me, if you say so.” 

“ All right,” said the others. 

Leaving Link to take it easy, the others con- 
tinued their walk, and presently arrived at the 
entrance to the grounds which surrounded the 
stately Corsen mansion. 

“ Oh, papa, there are the Westmore boys and 
some of their friends ! ” cried a girlish voice, and 
a moment later Violet Corsen came running out 
of the gateway and shook hands with them. “ Were 
you coming in? ” she asked, shaking back her curls 
and smiling. 

“ No, we were just walking by,” answered Joe, 
and then he nodded to Mr. Corsen, who had fol- 
lowed his little daughter. Then the boys saw that 
twp other gentlemen were with the owner of 
the place. One was Rockley White, the gentleman 
who had coached them for the boat races. The 
other was a stranger. 

“ Come in, boys,” said Munroe Corsen. “ I want 
to introduce you. to Mr. Bellman. We were just 
talking about you.” And he led the way. 

The lads found Mr. Carl Bellman a German- 
Anierican gentleman of about thirty. He was a 
graduate of Harnell and could have taught a class 
in chemistry had he felt so inclined. But the 


50 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


position of analytical chemist for the paint company 
paid him far better. He was a well-developed 
man, weighing all of two hundred pounds, and the 
boys could readily see that he must have been a 
power on the college football eleven. 

I have been much interested in what Mr. White 
and Mr. Corsen have told me about you,” said the 
chemist. ‘‘ Lakeport ought to feel proud of a base- 
ball club and a boat club that can carry off so 
many honors.” 

“ Well, to tell the truth, we are a little proud, 
Mr. Bellman,” answered Joe. '' But I think our 
victories on the water were mostly due to Mr. 
White. He taught us how to row and scull.” 

‘‘ That may be true — probably it is true,” was 
the reply. “ But there is no use in teaching a boy 
to row, or do anything else, unless he has the right 
stuff in him.” 

“ Well, these boys had the right stuff in them,” 
declared Mr. White. “ I am very proud of their 
record.” 

Mr. Corsen has been telling me that you are 
thinking of organizing a football club,” went on 
Carl Bellman. 

‘‘ Yes, we are going to get together as soon as 
possible,” answered Harry. 

“ Who are ‘ we ' ? ” 


CARL BELLMAN 


51 


‘‘ Oh, the same crowd that belonged to the base- 
ball nine and the boat club, with one or two others/’ 

I see.” 

We — er — we wanted to see if you would — er — 
coach us,” stammered Matt. “ We were going to 
write you a letter. We heard that you were a 
college player, and a good one,” he added, smiling. 

‘‘ Well, I’m an old player true enough,” said the 
chemist, laughing." '' I was on the eleven three 
seasons and coached for several years. I played 
guard and tackle, and I think I know as much about 
the game as the average player.” 

We are sure you do ! ” said Joe warmly. There 
was something about Carl Bellman that he liked. 

“ But about teaching you,” continued the chemist 
musingly. I am not so sure about that.” 

“Oh, can’t you fix it somehow?” asked Fred 
eagerly. He, too, liked the looks of the college 
man. 

“ It will take considerable time — and just now 
I am very busy at the paint works — getting every- 
thing down to a working basis. If it was only one 
eleven that wanted coaching* it would be different. 
But your club would make two.” 

“ Two ? ” cried all of the boys. 

“ I didn’t know of another club in Lakeport,” 
added Munroe Corsen. 


52 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


‘‘ This is to be something new. I do not know 
much about it, excepting that most of the players 
will be boys who have just moved to this town — 
boys belonging to the families of the men who 
work at our paint works and at the sash and blind 
factory.” 

Oh, I see,” answered Joe, and his heart fell 
a little. I haven’t got acquainted with any of 
those boys yet.” 

“ Some of them are nice, bright lads,” continued 
Carl Bellman. ‘‘ Three of them came to me yes- 
terday, — one the son of our superintendent and 
the other the son of our shipping man, — and I 
promised to do what I could for them.” 

Well, that was natural,” said Rockley White, 
‘‘ since they belong to the same crowd that you 
belong to.” 

‘‘ I have nothing to do with the sash and blind 
factory folks,” answered Carl Bellman. “ But the 
boys are all friends, and I wanted to help them. 
I suppose, being newcomers, they feel very strange 
in a town like this.” 

None of ’em have come to school yet,” said 
Harry. “ As soon as they come they’ll get ac- 
quainted fast enough.” 

“ Well, I am sorry that you can’t give some time 
to these boys here,” said Munroe Corsen. “I’d 


CARL BELLMAN 


53 


like them to go in and win, and they can’t win unless 
they have some first-class coaching. The boys at 
Brookside will have a first-class coach, and so will 
the others in this Lake League.” 

Then they are really going to get up a Lake 
League, so called ? ” 

They are,” answered Rockley White. 

“ Where did you hear that ? ” asked Joe eagerly. 

‘‘At Brookside, yesterday. Roy Willetts told 
me.” 

“ Well, Roy ought to know, for more than likely 
he’ll be on the football eleven,” said Fred. 

“ I do not know who will be the captain of the 
football eleven our boys are organizing,” said Carl 
Bellman. “ I was talking to Andy Carr — he’s the 
superintendent’s son — and he said he wanted Henry 
Hancock — the son of the shipping man — to take it. 
But Henry and some others were in favor of a 
boy who has lived here for some years — a boy who 
owns a motor boat and who has taken the others 
out for a ride quite a number of times.” 

“ A boy who owns a motor boat ! ” almost 
shouted Fred. “Did he mention his name?” 

“ Why, yes. Let me see, I think it was — er — 
Voup, that’s it — Silas Voup.” 


CHAPTER VI 


AT THE POST-OFFICE 

Si Voup!’’ 

The cry came from the boys in concert. Each 
looked at the others meaningly. 

‘‘ That horrid boy ! ’’ murmured Violet. 

'‘No wonder Si has been friendly with those 
strange boys,” was Matt’s comment. 

“ So it is Si Voup that the boys think of making 
their captain,” mused Munroe Corsen. “ I am 
sorry to hear that.” 

“What is the objection to the young man?” 
asked Carl Bellman curiously. 

“ He is a bad egg,” answered Rockley White 
frankly. “ None of the better class of boys in this 
town will have anything to do with him. He and 
a crony of his, Ike Boardman, have been in all 
kinds of scrapes, and it is simply their parents’ 
money that has kept them from going to jail. 
If those new boys are nice lads it will be a sad 
mistake for them ‘to take up with Voup and 
Boardman.” 


54 


55 


AT THE POST-OFFICE 

‘‘ This is news,” said the chemist slowly, and his 
thoughtful face showed his concern. ‘‘ Tell me 
what Voup and his crony have done, so that I 
can tell Andy Carr and Henry Hancock. Both 
Andy and Henry come from good families, and I 
should not want to see them take up with boys 
who were not — er — all right.” 

Thereupon the others told Carl Bellman of some 
of the things done by the rich bully and his crony. 
The chemist was astonished. 

‘‘If half of what you state is true — and I do not 
doubt your words — Andy and Henry ought not to 
have anything to do with them!” he exclaimed. 
“ I am sorry I did not hear of this before — I might 
have warned the boys. Of course they thought it 
very nice to be taken out in the motor boat and 
treated to refreshments.” 

“ I’ll wager Si wants to organize a football 
club just to get the best of us!” was Fred’s 
comment. 

“ That’s it,” returned Joe. 

“ I shall tell the other lads what I have heard 
to-morrow,” said the chemist. “ And I’ll give you 
my word, — I’ll not coach an eleven on which this 
Voup and Boardman are players.” 

On the way home Joe and the other boys talked 
the matter over from every point of view. In 


56 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

the midst of the discussion Harry stopped suddenly 
and thumped one hand down into the other. 

“By George ! ” he cried. 

“ What’s the matter? ” queried his brother. 

“ I think we are dead slow, Joe. For all we 
know, while we have been speculating on organiz- 
ing our club and joining the Lake League, Si 
and Ike may have applied for admission to the 
League ! ” 

“ Oh, don’t say that ! ” cried Fred, and there was 
real anguish in his voice. 

“ It would be just like Si,’’ was Matt’s comment. 
“ You’ll remember how he played tricks like that 
before.” 

“ We’ll get right at this,” said Joe. “ Let us 
hold a meeting to-morrow, after school.” And so 
it was agreed. 

The other boys had forgotten about the dead 
snake, but Matt remembered it, and being some- 
thing of a taxidermist, had prepared and stuffed it, 
so that it presented a very lifelike appearance. On 
Monday morning he took the snake to school with 
him, bent on fun of some sort. On the way he 
met some of the girls. 

“ Now listen,” he said. “ I am going to let you 
in on a secret. You can tell the other girls, but 
don’t tell any of the boys.” 


AT THE POST-OFFICE 57 


All right, Matt/* said one of the girls eagerly. 
‘‘What is it?** 

“If you see a snake in school don’t get scared, 
for it will be dead and won’t hurt you.^* 

“ A snake ! ” cried several. 

“ Yes. Now remember what I told you. You 
can scream as loud as you please, but don’t 
get frightened, for the snake is only a stuffed 
one.” 

Mr. Voup and Mr. Boardman had insisted upon 
it that Si and Ike go to school, in spite of the fact 
that both lads had no friends among the scholars. 
The two sat together, at a double desk, in which 
they kept their books and writing materials. 

“ The room will come to order,” said the teacher, 
after the scholars had had what was called General 
Assembly. “We will take up our algebra lesson 
for the day.” 

Si and Ike started to get out their algebras and 
writing pads. As they did this both felt something 
move in the desk. 

“ What’s in there ? ” asked Ike, somewhat 
startled. 

“ Maybe it’s a mouse ! ” exclaimed Si. 

“ O dear, is there a mouse in your desk ! ” 
exclaimed a girl sitting near. 

“ Silence in the classroom ! ” cried the teacher. 


58 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“ Walter Bannister, you may go to the blackboard 
and work out Problem 43 .” 

As Walter started for the front of the classroom 
Si bent down to look into his desk. He uttered 
a yell. 

“ A snake ! A snake ! ’’ 

“What’s that?” cried Ike, and then he started 
back, for he, too, saw the wriggling form of a 
big snake, moving among the books and papers. 

“ It’s coming for us! ” screamed Si, and he was in 
such a hurry to leave his seat that he caught his 
coat, tore one side of the pocket, and went sprawling 
on the floor. Ike leaped the other way, hitting the 
next desk and spilling the ink over a girl’s writing 
book. 

“ A snake ! A snake 1 ” was now heard on all 
sides. Si and Ike, pale with terror, put a good 
distance between themselves and the desk, from’ 
the compartment of which the head and tail of 
the big snake now protruded. 

The classroom was in an uproar. Even though 
they were not frightened, the girls commenced to 
scream, while some of the boys shouted and hurled 
books and pads at the snake. The teacher came 
rushing down the aisle with a ruler in his hand. 

“Where is the snake?” he demanded. Then, 
seeing the reptile, he, too, stopped short. 


AT THE POST-OFFICE 59 

‘‘ Look out that you don’t get bitten,” cautioned 
Matt, with a broad grin behind the instructor’s 
back. 

“ Take care ! It may drop from the desk and 
come for us ! ” cried Si, in a trembling voice. 

‘‘ Perhaps it’s a poisonous snake,” added Ike. 
“I wonder if it touched me?” And he gazed at 
his hands anxiously. 

The snake continued to move, shaking its head 
and tciil. The middle of the body was held fast 
by a double string, one end of which ran through 
a hole in the back of the desk, the other end under 
the book compartment, and both to Matt Roscoe’s 
hand. 

With the ruler ready for use, the teacher ad- 
vanced toward the desk, and Si and Ike came be- 
hind him. Just then Matt gave a sharp jerk to 
the string, and it broke from the snake’s body, 
and the reptile fell from the desk to the floor. 
At this Si leaped back again and so did Ike, and 
each fell over the other in terror. 

“ Get off of me ! ” screamed Ike. 

Let me up ! That snake will bite me ! ” roared 
Si. 

Whack! Down came the teacher’s ruler on the 
snake! Whack! whack! two more blows were de- 
livered in rapid succession. The snake did not 


60 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

move. The instructor bent over it and gave an 
examination. 

“ Humph ! That snake is dead ! ’’ 

‘‘Oh, did you kill it?” asked Si timidly. 

« No — it was dead before I struck it,” answered 
the teacher in disgust. “ It’s stuffed. Somebody 
played a trick on you.” 

“O dear, and I was so frightened!” piped up 
Matt, and the way he said it made his chums roar 
with laughter. 

“ Silence in the classroom 1 ” roared the teacher. 
“ Voup, you may throw that snake out in the back 
yard.” 

“ Are you sure it is— is dead? ” faltered Si. 

“ Yes.” 

“What shall I throw it out with?” 

“ ni throw it out, if Si is afraid,” said Harry, 
and catching the stuffed reptile by the tail he took 
it away. 

“I want to know who played this trick?” said 
the teacher. 

“If I find out who did it. I’ll punch him 
good I ” muttered Si. 

“ Who brought that snake to school ? ” demanded 
the instructor, after a moment of silence. 

“ Please, sir, I didn’t,” said one of the girls, and 
this made the boys laugh. 


61 


AT THE POST-OFFICE 

If I find out who did it, Til punish him 
severely,'’ went on the teacher; and then the lesson 
in algebra was resumed. It may be added here that 
the truth about the trick was not discovered by 
the instructor until so long after, that to punish the 
fun-loving Matt was out of the question. For 
many days the boys and girls called out “ Snake! ” 
to Si and Ike, much to their annoyance. 

“ Just wait till I find out who did it — I’ll 
thrash him for keeps I ” muttered the rich bully 
angrily. 

“ And I’ll give him a dose too,” added his crony. 

Of course it was some one of the Westmore 
crowd,” went on Si. 

“ Maybe they were all in it.” 

‘‘ That’s possible, Ike. If so, then that’s another 
black mark against ’em.” 

By the way, Si, have you got any answers yet 
to those letters about football ? ” continued Ike, 
after a pause. 

‘‘ No, but I was thinking I might get some 
answers to-day. Let us go down to the post- 
office.” 

Ike agreed and the pair hurried to the post-office, 
located in a business building in the center of the 
town. This was on Wednesday, two days after 
the trouble in school. 


62 THEFOOTBALLBOYS 

“Any letters for me?” asked Si, of the young 
lady at the delivery window. Nobody else was 
near, the postmaster being at the rear, checking up 
some accounts. 

“ ril see,” was the reply, and the clerk turned 
away, to look over the letters in a box marked 
U, V, W. 

Say, look here ? ” whispered Ike, who was look- 
ing at some private boxes close to the window. He 
pointed to a letter in one of the boxes. It was ad- 
dressed to “ Joseph Westmore, Lakeport Football 
Club,” and in the corner was the wording, “If 
not delivered in ten days return to George Dixon, 
Brookside.” 

“ It’s about the League ! ” whispered Si, and his 
voice showed his anxiety. 

“Wonder what’s in it?” returned Ike. 

“ Maybe we can ” The rich bully stopped 

and looked at his crony. Then both looked around 
to see if they were being observed. The lady clerk 
was still going over the letters and the postmaster 
was still bending over his books. 

“ Don’t you ever say anything about this ! ” whis- 
pered Si hoarsely. 

“ Not on your life! ” returned Ike. 

Then, with a swift movement, Si thrust his hand 
through the delivery window, reached around to 



Si reached around and seized the letter. — Page 62 








AT THE POST-OFFICE 


63 


the glass-fronted box, and seized the letter. In 
another moment he thrust the epistle in his pocket. 
As he did so, the clerk turned around. 

“ Here you are,” she said, and coming forward, 
handed over three letters. 

‘‘Any letters for me — Isaac Boardman?” asked 
Ike. His voice trembled so he could scarcely speak. 
The girl gazed at him in surprise for an instant, 
then turned back to the letter case. 

“ Nothing! ” she called out; and then both boys 
hurried from the post-office. 

“If they ever catch you ” began Ike, when 

the post-office had been left behind. 

“ Hush ! Don’t you ever mention it,” inter- 
rupted Si. He knew that he had committed a 
serious crime. “ We’ll read the letter and then 
burn it up.” 

“ But when Joe Westmore finds out that it was 
sent and is missing — ^ — ” 

“ Huh ! Don’t letters get lost in the mails every 
day?” 

“ Yes, but that girl must have known it was 
there. Maybe she put it there just before we 
came in. If she did- ” 

“ Well, we don’t know anything about it, so 
there. Stick to that and we’ll be safe. We must 
learn What’s that ? ” 


64 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

Si stopped short, as a bell in the distance began 
to clang loudly. 

“ Must be a fire ! ” cried Ike. 

‘‘ It’s a railroad wreck, and it’s on fire ! ” called 
a boy who was running past. Big smash-up at 
Bender’s Junction!” 


CHAPTER VII 


THE RAILROAD WRECK 

It was true — there was a railroad wreck, but 
it was not as bad as the boy had reported. The 
afternoon express from the south had been partly 
derailed by a misplaced switch, and one passenger 
coach and an express car had been overturned in 
a ditch. In some manner one end of the express 
car had caught fire, and was burning at a lively 
rate — hence the alarm which had come to the ears 
of Si and Ike. 

The alarm was general, and in the crowd hurry- 
ing to the scene were Joe and Harry, and Paul 
Shale, who had been over to Link Barrow’s home, 
discussing football matters. 

‘‘ It’s the express true enough ! ” exclaimed 
Harry, as the three came in sight of the scene of 
the disaster. I hope nobody is hurt ! ” 

“ Somebody must have caught it — in that over- 
turned passenger car,” answered Joe. 

“ The express car is the only one that is smashed,” 
said Paul. “ Gracious, look how it is blazing up ! ” 
65 


66 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


he added, as a thick volume of smoke rolled sky- 
ward. “ Must have been carrying a barrel of oil, 
or something like that ! ’’ 

The three boys hurried toward the passenger 
coach, where a crowd was assembling. Several 
passengers had already climbed from the windows 
and doors of the coach, while others, still inside, 
were calling for aid. An ax was procured, and 
several windows broken in, and more passengers 
came forth. Among these were an old man with 
white hair, a girl, and a middle-aged woman 
with a baby. The baby was crying, but was not 
hurt. 

ril see if anybody else is in the car!” cried 
the conductor, and crawled inside, followed by 
Mr. Darrow and Paul’s uncle, Richard Shale, the 
owner of the Sprite. 

In the meantime, the new fire engine of the local 
fire department arrived on the scene, along with a 
hose cart, both drawn by a crowd of men and boys. 
The engine had steam up, and soon commenced to 
pump water from a near-by brook on the blazing 
express car. From the car men and boys were 
carrying boxes and bundles, bent on saving as much 
of the contents as possible. 

Pile them in a heap here,” said the express 
agent, indicating a spot beyond the ditch. ‘‘ Lively, 


THE RAILROAD WEECK 67 

please, if you want to save the stuff from being 
burned up ! '' 

Boxes, barrels, and packages came out of the 
car at a rapid rate, fully a score of men and boys 
taking part in the work. In the crowd were the 
Westmore boys and Paul Shale. They enjoyed 
both the labor and excitement. 

As the work went on Joe and Harry carried out 
a long, thin box which was extra heavy. It was 
marked “With Care,’' so the boys took pains to 
set it down in a safe place. 

“ Look there ! ” cried Harry, as he turned around 
and caught sight of a man walking off with two 
packages, one under either arm. “ Who is that 
fellow ? ” 

“ I don’t know.” 

“ He got those packages from this heap.” 

“ Perhaps he’s one of the express company 
men.” 

“ I don’t think so — ^he has no uniform or 
cap. 

“ Let’s go after him and see who he is.” 

Both boys walked off after the stranger. The 
fellow looked back and then broke into a run, 
making for the woods back of Bender’s Junction. 

“ He’s a thief ! ” burst out Joe. “ Hi ! stop 
there ! ” he called out. 


68 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“ What’s wrong? ” asked Paul, who had come up 
with a box. 

‘‘That man is running away with two of the 
packages.'’ 

“You don’t say ! ” 

“What’s that?” asked the express agent, who 
heard the last words. 

“ There goes a fellow with two of your pack- 
ages,” answered Harry. 

“ What ! Stop, you rascal ! ” bellowed the agent. 

“ Stop, thief ! ” 

But instead of stopping, the man only ran the 
faster. The agent made after him, and so did 
the three boys. But soon the agent came to a halt, 
at the edge of the woods. 

“ I must go back to the fire, to save the rest of 
the stuff!” he panted. “Will you boys try to 
catch him?” 

“ We will I ” cried Joe, without halting. “ Come 
on!” 

The three lads darted into the woods, at the point 
they had seen the man enter. The fellow wore a 
heavy beard and a slouch hat, but his form looked 
familiar. 

“If it wasn’t for that beard I’d say it was Dan 
Marcy,” said Harry. 

“ So would I,” added his brother. 



“ What ! Stop, you kascal ! ” bellowed the agent, 

Page 68. 


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THE EAILEOAD WRECK 69 

‘'That beard may be false,” came from Paul. 
“ He may be wearing it just for a disguise.” 

“If it is Marcy it would be just like him to steal 
whatever he could lay his hands on,” was Joe’s 
comment. 

For a short distance the woods were not thick, 
and the boys had little difficulty in keeping the man 
ahead in view as he dodged among the growth. 
They saw him look back several times and once he 
paused to shake his fist at them. As he did this, 
they saw that his beard hung a little away from 
his face. 

“ It’s false sure,” said Joe. “ I am almost posi- 
tive he is Dan Marcy.” 

“ Let’s call his name,” suggested Paul. 

“ No ! no ! ” warned Joe. “ Don’t do that ! If 
he gets away, and thinks we don’t know him, per- 
haps he’ll come back again to Lakeport some 
day.” 

The others saw the wisdom of this reasoning, 
and so they kept on in silence. Soon the three 
reached a dense and consequently dark portion of 
the woods, and here the man was quickly swallowed 
from view. 

“ We may as well give it up,” said Joe, halting. 
“ He has got it all his own way now.” And they 
turned back. 


70 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

‘‘ Wonder what was in the packages ? ’’ mused 
his brother. 

‘‘ I’m sure I don’t know,” said Paul. “ But they 
must have been valuable, or he would have taken 
something else. There were packages enough to 
select from.” 

When the boys got back to the scene of the wreck 
they found that the fire had been put out and the 
unburned express stuff had been carried to a safe 
place. All the passengers had been gotten from 
the overturned coach. Several were more or less 
bruised and scratched, and one man had had his 
wrist broken, but that was the extent of the injuries, 
for which the railroad officials and the people at 
large were thankful. 

How the switch had come to be misplaced was 
a mystery. The local switchman declared that 
the switch had not been used for three days, and 
several men corroborated this testimony. The man 
had his switch-key in his pocket and showed it. 

“ Somebody must have used a false key,” de- 
clared one of the railroad officials. “ This is a 
serious business, and will have to be investigated.” 
And an investigation was ordered without delay. 
Near the burned express car a duplicate switch-key 
was found, but who had made such a rascally use 
of this remained a mystery. 


THE EAILROAD WEECK 71 

When the contents of the express car was over- 
hauled it was ascertained that seven packages were 
missing. Of the larger, two had been burned, as 
could be told by some scraps. 

“ That thief must have gotten away with the 
two big packages and the three small ones,'' said 
the agent to Joe. “ Evidently he knew just what 
he was taking, too." 

“ Then the packages were all valuable ? " 

Four of them were. I don't know anything 
about the fifth." 

“Was that one of the little packages?" asked 
Harry. 

“ Yes." 

“ Then perhaps it wasn't of great value." 

But in this the youth was mistaken, as he learned 
two days later. The small package had been con- 
signed to Munroe Corsen, and the rich gentleman 
was much exercised over its disappearance. He 
did not say much about it in public, although he 
offered a reward of one hundred dollars for the 
return of the package, said to contain several letters 
and documents. 

“ The documents contained the formula for mak- 
ing a new kind of oil-dressing for harness," said 
the gentleman to Mr. Westmore, as he stopped at 
the store one day. “ The letters were from the 


72 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

inventor, who sold me the formula. I have been 
organizing a new company to manufacture the 
dressing, which, I think, will prove the best in the 
market. I should not want any other manufac- 
turer to get hold of that formula.” 

“ Maybe the thief will read about your reward 
and return the package,” said the flour and feed 
dealer hopefully. 

“ I trust he does,” returned Mr. Corsen. 

It was learned that another of the packages had 
been consigned to Mr. Carl Bellman. This had 
contained a portrait of the chemist’s dead mother, 
set in a beautiful silver and gold frame. Evi- 
dently the thief had taken the package for the 
value of the frame and not the picture. 

“ I’d like to have the picture back,” said Carl 
Bellman. It is worth a great deal more to me 
than any frame, for it was the only portrait of my 
mother that I possessed.” And he offered a re- 
ward of fifty dollars for the return of the photo- 
graph. 

The other packages had contained cutlery con- 
signed to Mr. Rush, — goods for his hardware store. 
These the express company had to pay for, so the 
merchant did not lose anything by the robbery. 
The express company also paid Mr. Corsen and 
Carl Bellman nominal sums for the other things 


THE EAILEOAD WEECK 73 

that were missing, but this did not compensate the 
rich gentleman and the chemist. 

After talking the matter over among themselves, 
the Westmore boys and Paul Shale decided to tell 
the authorities of their suspicions concerning Dan 
Marcy, and, as a consequence, a search was made 
for the former jailbird. But Marcy kept out of 
reach and nothing was seen or heard of him. Some 
of the boys went to Pine Island to look for him, 
but not a single clew was unearthed leading to the 
rascal’s whereabouts. 

The express packages were not the only things 
lost at the railroad smash-up. Just for the fun of 
it. Si Voup and Ike Boardman aided in the work 
of saving the contents of the burning car, — ^that is, 
they helped to carry out three or four boxes. Then 
Si objected to getting his clothes dirty and Ike 
growled that the work was altogether too hard, 
and both of them withdrew to let others finish the 
task. 

We are not going to be paid for this,” said 
the rich bully. ‘‘ Let the others play slaves if they 
want to.” 

“ I wasn’t cut out for a pack mule anyway,” 
returned his crony. 

They were much interested in the working of the 
new fire engine, and so remained until the fire was 


74 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

completely extinguished, walking from one point of 
view to another. Then it got to be supper time 
and both started for home. 

'' By the way, where are the letters you got from 
the post-office?’’ asked Ike suddenly. 

Here, in my pocket,” was the reply. 

“ Let’s read them before we go home — and burn 
that letter for Joe Westmore.” 

Si was willing, and the two boys turned down 
a lane, between two barns, where they might not 
be observed. Then Si brought several letters from 
his pocket. 

Why — er — why ” he stammered, and felt 

in his pocket again. 

“What’s the matter?” asked his crony, seeing 
something was wrong. 

“It’s gone!” 

“ What?” 

“ That letter for Joe Westmore, — and so is one 
of the letters for me 1 ” faltered Si. He felt in all 
his pockets, and then pressed the lining of his 
jacket to make certain. “ They’re gone sure! ” he 
groaned. 

“ Are you — you positive ? ” asked Ike. “ Look 
in every pocket ! ” 

“ It’s no use, Ike — ^they are gone — ^the letter for 
Westmore and the one for me from Camdale.” 


THE EAILROAD WRECK 75 


“You must have dropped them down by the 
railroad, while we were working/' 

“ I suppose so." 

“ Let us go back and look for them. But that 
Westmore letter " 

“ I've got a right to look for my own, haven't 
I ? " demanded Si. 

“Of course. But we want to make sure Joe 
Westmore doesn't watch us. For if he does, and 
somebody finds that letter and gives it to him — 
well, it may make trouble, that's all," finished Ike 
Boardman. 


CHAPTER VIII 


THE LAKE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 

The two boys hurried back to the vicinity of 
the wreck and spent a good half-hour in looking 
for the lost letters. But it was of no avail — the 
communications had completely disappeared, and 
neither lad could imagine what had become of them. 

‘‘ I don’t care so much for my own letter — I 
can write to Camdale and get a duplicate,” said Si. 

But I’d like to know what was in George Dixon’s 
letter to Joe Westmore.” 

‘‘ It was about the Lake League, you can be sure 
of that,” returned Ike. 

“ I wonder if Dixon will want to take the West- 
more crowd in the League?” 

“ More than likely.” 

Perhaps not. Those Brookside fellows felt 
bitter over the way they lost the boat club cham- 
pionship.” 

“ Well, the letter is gone, so we can’t tell,” con- 
cluded Ike; and then the two boys separated and 
each went home. 


76 


THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77 


On the Monday afternoon previous to this, Joe 
had called a meeting of the members of the boat 
club and the old baseball club, and without much 
ado the boys organized the Lakeport Football Club, 
with Joe as president. Link, secretary, and Fred 
Rush, treasurer. A brief constitution was adopted, 
and also a set of by-laws, the lads using the old 
baseball forms for that purpose. A small initiation 
fee was charged, which a majority of the boys, 
having expected something of the sort, paid on 
the spot. The boys then took up the question of 
uniforms. 

“ There is in the treasury of the boat club the 
sum of ten dollars and sixty cents,’’ said Harry. 
‘‘ I move that sum be transferred to the treasury 
of the football club.” And this motion was sec- 
onded and carried unanimously. 

I have been circulating a paper among some 
of our business men,” said Fred, bringing out the 
document in question. They have heard of the 
newly-formed, or rather newly- forming. Lake 
League, and they have agreed, if we join that 
League, they will give us a total of ” — Fred read 
from the paper — ‘'thirty-four dollars and fifty 
cents for an outfit.” 

“ Hurrah ! that’s foine, so it is ! ” came from 
Teddy Dugan, the Irish boy. 


78 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“ That will give us a total of forty-five dollars 
and ten cents, not counting the initiations,’’ said 
Paul. About sixty dollars all told. How much 
will a good outfit cost? ” 

I have been looking over some price lists,” 
answered Frank Pemberton. “You can get them 
all the way from two dollars up — I mean per player. 
A fair suit costs two or three dollars, and the shoes, 
knee guards, head pieces, nose guards, and things 
like that cost extra, from fifty cents up. I’ve fig- 
ured it up, and I think we ought to get a pretty fair 
outfit for fifteen players — the regular eleven and 
four subs. — for a hundred and fifty dollars. That 
would include two good footballs, and markers, and 
so forth. But it wouldn’t include the goal posts 
nor the fences, — if we wanted to fix up the old ball- 
grounds for football playing.” 

“ Wait a minute,” put in Link, who had begged 
to be allowed to attend the meeting, even though 
not yet strong enough to go to school. “ My father 
has some old timber in his back lot — the stuff that 
came from the Holwell house when it was torn 
down. We can get goal posts out of that, and some 
fencing, too — he’ll let us have it for nothing — and 
I’m carpenter enough to put them up, if some fel- 
lows will help.” 

“ Of course we’ll help ! ” cried several. 


THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 79 

'' Sure, an’ I’ll dig them post-holes meself, so I 
will,” added Teddy Dugan. He loved to dig, for he 
was a true son of the soil. 

“ Well, if the outfit costs a hundred and fifty 
dollars, we have still about ninety dollars to raise,” 
said Paul rather soberly. 

“ Don’t forget one thing,” remarked Fred. 
“ Some of the men who put their names on this 
paper stipulated that we join the Lake League. 
They won’t give us anything if we don’t get into 
the League.” 

'' Oh, we are bound to get into the League ! ” 
exclaimed Walter Bannister. “ They’ll want Lake- 
port represented, and who will do it if we 
don’t?” 

“ Some of the other fellows are going to try,” 
said Harry. And then he told about the new boys 
in town, and of their friendship for Si Voup and 
Ike Boardman. 

** I heard this noon that they are going to try 
for the League,” added Harry. “ They are going 
to call themselves the Lakeport Seniors.” 

‘‘ What a gall ! ” remarked Matt. “ Seniors in- 
deed ! I’ll bet we can wallop ’em any day ! ” 

So we can! ” cried Fred. “ Just the same, this 
is going to make trouble.” 

I’ve written to George Dixon, and I am look- 


80 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


ing for an answer to-day,’' said Joe. ‘‘ Maybe 
the letter is at the post-office now,” he added. 

“ Run down and see,” suggested Paul. 

“Sure, an’ can’t I go for you?” asked Teddy 
Dugan, always anxious to be of service. 

“ No, Teddy, they’ve issued a new rule — if you 
want mail from a box you’ve got to get it yourself,” 
answered Joe. “ It won’t take me long.” 

He ran from the meeting place and hurried with 
all speed to the post-office. The letter he was ex- 
pecting was there and he took it and hurried back. 
The reading of the communication was not satis- 
factory to anybody present. The letter read as 
follows : — 

“ Brookside, Sept. 25. 

“ Dear Friend Westmore : — 

“ Your letter of two days ago came duly to 
hand and I hasten to answer, knowing how anxious 
you must be to hear from me. 

“ I am sorry to say that matters concerning the 
new Lake Football League are in a very unsettled 
state. Our fellows here are in shape to play and 
would like your crowd to come into the League, but 
at some other towns there is a feeling against you — 
or rather, there is a feeling in favor of another 
club from Lakeport — gotten up by some fellows I 
do not know. There is a boy named Andy Carr 


THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 81 

in the new club and he has a strong friend on the 
Bralham eleven. Then that fellow, Si Voup, is in 
the club, and he pulls a strong stroke with the 
Camdale club — how I don’t know. As a conse- 
quence I can’t tell you how matters will turn. 
We want to take in a fine club from Barton Park, 
but the Camdale fellows say they won’t consent 
unless we agree to take in the Lakeport Seniors, 
as they call themselves. It almost looks to me 
as if Voup or somebody had bribed some of the 
Camdale chaps to stand out for that new aggrega- 
tion. I hope for more news by Tuesday night and 
will then write you again. Your true friend, 

‘‘ George Dixon.” 

This communication provoked much discussion, 
but the talk ended in nothing, and it was decided 
to wait until Wednesday, for the next letter from 
Brookside. Joe was on his way to the post-office, — 
to get the letter taken by Si Voup, — when the alarm 
of fire caused him to turn back and visit the scene 
of the railroad wreck. In the general excitement 
he did not think of the letter again until it was 
mentioned by Harry, about an hour after supper. 

I’ll run down right now,” declared Joe. 

Wait, I’ll go along,” answered his brother, who 
was as anxious for news as anybody. Passing Mr. 


82 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

Rush’s hardware store they saw Fred, and the 
corpulent youth joined them, he having some letters 
to post for his father. 

‘‘ No letter, Joe,” said the girl clerk, who knew 
the Westmore boys well. 

“Are you sure?” asked the youth anxiously. 
“ I was told one would be sent to me, from George 
Dixon, Brookside.” 

“ Oh, why ” The girl paused and looked 

into several boxes. “ It seems to me I did see such 
a letter.” She bit her lip in thought. “ Now, what 
could have become of it?” she murmured. 

“ You had such a letter? ” 

I — I think so. But it is not here now.” 

“ Did anybody else get our mail ? ” 

“ No, there wasn’t anything else this afternoon, — 
and I am not sure about that letter,” went on the 
clerk, not wishing to get herself into trouble. 
“ Maybe it was yesterday. Did you get a letter 
yesterday? ” 

“ I got one Monday.” 

“ Then perhaps that was it,” and the girl clerk 
breathed a little sigh of relief. 

“ Say, can you tell me if Si Voup has gotten 
any letters from football clubs lately? ” asked Fred 
curiously. 

“ Why, yes, he got some this afternoon,” was the 


THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 83 

reply. “ But please, Fred,” the girl added in a 
whisper, don’t say I told you. It’s against the 
rules to tell about the letters delivered.” 

I’ll not say anything.” 

'' He didn’t get Joe’s letter by mistake, did he?” 
asked Harry. 

‘‘ Oh, no, I am very particular about the letters 
I give out,” answered the clerk coldly. 

‘‘ Maybe it will come to-morrow,” said Joe, and 
with a somewhat heavy heart he turned away from 
the window, and the three chums left the post-office. 

Walter Bannister had a football, and with this 
the lads, on the following afternoon, after school, 
went out to practice. They had not yet decided 
upon what position each was to fill, and, indeed, 
they had little heart to go ahead. If they could not 
get in the Lake League it seemed to some that all 
their football aspirations might as well come to an 
end. 

“ There won’t be any fun in playing the little 
teams around here,” declared Link, who had come 
along to look on. 

** And there won’t be any fun in playing big 
teams who are located far off,” added Fred. ‘‘ The 
car fares will be too great, and we won’t have any 
rooters along to make things worth while.” 

While the boys were practicing on the green Si 


84 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

Voup and Ike Boardman came along, in company 
with two other boys, and all stopped to see what 
was going on. 

“ Those boys are Andy Carr and Henry Han- 
cock,” whispered Paul to his chums, indicating the 
strangers. 

“ They look like pretty decent chaps,” was 
Harry’s comment. 

“ If they are, how can they train with Si and 
Ike?” demanded Fred. 

They don’t know Si and Ike like we know ’em,” 
answered Joe. 

‘‘ Say, do you know. I’d like to get acquainted 
with those boys ? ” said Andy Carr to Si. 

Oh, you don’t want to know them,” answered 
the rich bully quickly. 

“ They are not in our class at all,” added Ike 
loftily. 

I’ve heard that the Westmore brothers were 
fine chaps,” put in Henry Hancock. ‘‘ Some girls 
who know them well told me.” 

“Oh, they are not much. Their father keeps 
a two-cent feed store,” grumbled Si. “ Come on, 
there is no use in our wasting time here.” 

“ Let us see them play for a few minutes,” said 
Henry. “Say, that fellow knows how to run!” 
he cried, as Paul caught up the football and ran 


THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 85 

across the green, with the others trying to down 
him. 

Much against their will Si and Ike had to remain 
and watch the playing for fully quarter of an hour. 
Once the football came sailing over the sidewalk, 
close to Andy Carr. He caught it and kicked it 
back, smiling the while. At another time the group 
of players crowded upon Henry Hancock and he 
dodged from one side to another, as if in the play 
himself. Joe ran into him, and each held the other 
for an instant. 

'' Excuse me,'’ said Joe politely. 

'' Oh, it was my fault,” answered Henry pleas- 
antly, and then both smiled and the game pro- 
ceeded. Somehow, each lad had a sudden warm 
feeling in his heart for the other. 

“Fm going,” grumbled Si at last, and edged 
off with Ike beside him. ‘‘ Come on ! ” And then 
Andy and Henry followed. But as they did this 
each looked at the other. 

“ I guess they are an all-right crowd,” whispered 
Andy to his friend. 

''Yes, I wish they belonged to our football 
club,” returned Henry. 


CHAPTER IX 


A MOONLIGHT TRIP 

I don’t know what to make of it — that I don’t 
get some word from George Dixon,” said Joe to 
his brother, on the following noon, after another un- 
successful trip to the post-office. ‘‘ He was always 
a fellow to keep his promises.” 

‘‘Why not run up to Brookside and see him?” 
suggested Harry. “ It wouldn’t do any harm.” 

“ Oh, I don’t like to be too inquisitive, Harry. 
Of course, the clubs in that new League have a 
right to do as they please.” 

“ Maybe the letter miscarried.” 

“ I don’t see how it could.” 

That afternoon, after school, Harry had to go 
to Camdale on an errand for his father. He went 
on his wheel, for the roads were in good condition. 
He had to see a local flour and feed merchant, to 
whom Mr. Westmore had sent several loads of 
feed. 

The man’s name was Wardock, and he had a son 
Jerry, an overgrown, loutish fellow with red hair 
86 


A MOONLIGHT TRIP 87 

and freckles. Jerry had belonged to the Camdale 
baseball club — an organization that had played the 
Lakeport boys and been defeated by the close score 
of 8 to 9. This, as my old readers know, had 
brought on a bitter quarrel, in which Jerry Wardock 
had taken a prominent part. Consequently Harry 
did not like Jerry, and this feeling of animosity 
was reciprocated by the Camdale youth. 

“ I hear you are trying to get in the new Lake 
League,” said Jerry, after Harry’s business had 
been transacted with Mr. Wardock. It won’t 
do you "any good.” 

‘‘ Why not ? ” asked Harry, surprised that Jerry 
should speak so positively. 

‘‘We are going to take in that other club — the 
Lakeport Seniors — in fact we have practically taken 
them in already.” And Jerry smiled maliciously. 

“ Then it is all settled ? ” 

“ Yes — so far as we are concerned.” 

“ Are the other clubs satisfied ? ” 

“ Of course they are. Why shouldn’t they be ? ” 
demanded Jerry. 

“ The Brookside fellows don’t like Si Voup and 
Ike Boardman.” 

“ Humph ! do you think the Brookside club is 
going to run this League? Not much! We’ve got 
something to say — and so has the Bralham club.” 


88 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“ What of the new club at Barton Park?” 

“ Oh, we don’t want anything to do with those 
dudes! ” snorted Jerry. 

‘‘ I didn’t know they were dudes. Some of the 
fellows may be rich— but they are good chaps, for 
all that.” 

‘‘Oh, they ain’t going to be in this League,” 
answered Jerry, and then shuffled off to wait on a 
customer who wanted a bag of oats. 

Harry walked out and visited a local dealer who 
kept photographic supplies, for he wanted a roll 
of films for his camera. When he again passed the 
Wardock establishment he caught sight of Jerry in 
earnest conversation with two other boys. 

“Si Voup and Ike Boardman!” murmured 
Harry to himself, and he wheeled by slowly. He 
saw a bank bill in Si’s hand, and it was passed 
over to Jerry, who pocketed it quickly, as if afraid 
somebody might see the transaction. 

“ That’s queer,” thought Harry, as he wheeled on 
his way to Lakeport. “ I may be wrong, but that 
looked to me as if Si was bribing Jerry. Wonder 
if he was paying for the privilege of getting into 
the Lake League? ” 

This little affair hung in Harry’s mind, and when 
he got back to Lakeport he told Joe, Fred, and 
Paul about it. 


A MOONLIGHT TEIP 


89 


I don’t believe Jerry Wardock would be above 
taking a bribe,” was Fred’s comment. ‘‘ And Si 
Voup would be just mean enough to offer it. You 
can wager all you are worth, now he has started. 
Si will do everything he can to get into the new 
League and cut us out.” 

“Joe, let us go to Brookside and have a talk 
with George Dixon and the others I ” cried Paul. 
“ It won’t do any harm — and it will get us out of 
this suspense.” 

“ When do you want to go ? ” 

“ Might go to-night. It will be moonlight, and 
we can go on our bicycles.” 

“If you do, look out for broken-down bridges,” 
said Harry, with a little laugh. 

“We can take the upper road to Brookside, it 
is in fine condition,” pursued Paul. 

The matter was discussed for several minutes, 
and the upshot of the talk was that Joe and Paul 
decided to leave for Brookside before supper, 
taking a lunch with them. They got out their 
wheels, looked them over, and filled up their 
lamps. 

“ I hope you find George Dixon and the others,” 
said Harry. “ And do bring us some definite 
word ! ” he added. “ This sitting on the fence is 
killing me!” 


90 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

‘‘ We’ll do our best,” answered his brother, and 
Paul said practically the same. 

The journey to Brookside was made without 
special incident, the two young bicyclists stopping 
on the outskirts of the town to eat their lunch, 
washing it down with water from a handy spring. 
They rode directly to George Dixon’s home and 
found him just coming out, in company with Roy 
Willetts and A1 Lemming, two lads the Lakeport 
boys knew well. 

Hello ! ” cried George, shaking hands. Glad 
to see you. You are rather late getting around.” 

‘‘ Rather late? ” answered Joe. “ What do you 
mean ? ” 

“ I asked you to come and see me last night. 
But perhaps you couldn’t come.” 

‘‘ I didn’t hear from you. Did you send me a 
letter?” 

Of course. Didn’t you get it? You should 
have gotten it Wednesday afternoon by the latest.” 

‘‘No letter came. I went down to the post-office 
several times.” 

“ Well, he sent the letter right enough,” put in 
Roy Willetts. “ I was with him when he posted 
it.” 

“ It’s very strange it didn’t come,” murmured 
Joe. 


A MOONLIGHT TRIP 


91 


Well, what’s the best word ? ” asked Paul, who 
was growing impatient. 

There is no best word,” came from A1 Lem- 
ming. We are all at sea over this Lake League 
affair.” 

‘‘ Have you decided on what Lakeport club to 
take in? ” demanded Joe eagerly. 

“ Yes, we have, but the others haven’t,” answered 
George Dixon. “ We want you, but the Camdale 
fellows are sticking out strong for the Si Voup 
crowd, and they don’t want the Barton Park boys 
to come in — and they are one of the nicest teams in 
this vicinity.” 

“ I know they don’t want us and Barton Park,” 
answered Joe, and then he told about Harry’s 
visit to Camdale and what the youth had seen 
there. 

‘‘ By crickey ! ” burst out Roy Willetts. “ I can 
see through it now. That Voup crowd are bribing 
the Camdale fellows to stick by them! I heard 
something about bribery the other day. It’s the 
meanest piece of business I ever heard of 1 ” 

“ We’ll not stand for anything like that,” said 
George Dixon. “ I’ll not belong to a league where 
bribery exists — I’d rather not play football! ” 

“ Same here,” was A1 Lemming’s comment. 

‘‘ Come on down to our clubhouse and talk it 


92 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

over,’^ went on the captain of the local organiza- 
tion. 

The talk at the clubhouse lasted nearly two hours. 
Seven of the Brookside boys were present and also 
two from the Bralham club and three from Barton 
Park. All of the lads had a great deal to say 
about the way the Voup crowd and the Camdale 
club were acting. It was learned that Si had spent 
money freely in all of the towns in the hope of 
interesting the various club members in favor of his 
organization. 

‘‘ He is trying to buy his way into favor,” said 
Joe somewhat bitterly. 

Well, it won’t work here,” answered George 
Dixon quickly. 

And it shan’t work in Bralham,” said a lad 
from that place. I believe in clean sport, or no 
sport.” 

** It is outrageous ! ” said one of the boys from 
Barton Park. “ Why, I’d not have anything to 
do with a fellow like this Voup for anything! 
When I get back I shall tell the others just what 
sort he is.” 

‘‘ And I will tell our crowd,” said one of the lads 
from Bralham. 

The upshot of the discussion was that George 
Dixon issued a call for a general meeting, to take 


93 


A MOONLIGHT TRIP 

place at the Bartlett Point hotel — something of a 
central location for the 'various organizations — 
on the following Saturday afternoon, at three 
o’clock. 

“ I’ve got a little idea of my own,” he whispered 
to Joe on parting. “ If I can prove that Voup has 
been bribing the Camdale fellows to stand up for 
him, — and the Camdale fellows won’t stand to let 
Barton Park join the League, — then I shall move 
to leave both Camdale and the Lakeport Seniors 
in the cold, and make up the League of Brookside, 
Bralham, Barton Park, and your club.” 

“If you do that, it will suit us to a T! ” cried 
Joe. “ You know we don’t like Camdale anyhow — 
on account of that row over that ball game.” 

“ I am going over to Camdale to-morrow, and 
maybe I’ll stop at Lakeport, too, and I’ll take one 
or two fellows with me. I am going to get to the 
bottom of Si Voup’s doings if I can,” added George 
Dixon. 

When Joe and Paul started to return home it 
was nearly ten o’clock. The moon was shining 
brightly, so that they scarcely needed their bicycle 
lamps. Both boys felt quite light-hearted. 

“ I think matters are turning in our favor,” said 
Joe. “ The others won’t stand for Si Voup and his 
methods.” 


94 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


‘‘ Just what I think,” answered Paul. Still, Til 
feel better after it is all settled,” he added. 

“ Si must have money to burn.” 

‘‘ I know where he got some of it. He had two 
watches and he sold one of them to Jed Dawson 
for nine dollars, — and he sold three pairs of his 
fancy pigeons to Tom Atgood for two dollars a 
pair.” 

‘‘ That shows he wanted the money, Paul. If he 
didn’t actually bribe anybody he came close to it — 
treating ’em, taking ’em out in his motor boat — 
and all that.” 

‘‘If those new boys — Andy Carr and Henry Han- 
cock — are such nice fellows I don’t see how they 
can stand for Si Voup’s ways.” 

“ They don’t know him as we do, I tell you. If 
they did What’s that ? ” 

The boys stopped talking and slowed up on their 
bicycles. From a distance had come a sound, as 
of somebody calling for help. 

“ I believe it was a woman’s voice,” said Paul. 
“ Perhaps There it is again ! ” 

This time the cry reached them clearly. It was 
a woman’s call and it came from up a side road. 
There, not a hundred yards away, was located a 
cottage, where lived an old man named Preter and 
his wife. 


A MOONLIGHT TEIP 95 

'' Something is wrong 1 cried Paul. ‘‘ Let us 
go and see what it is ! 

Perhaps the house is on fire/’ suggested Joe. 

If so, Mrs. Preter will want us to help save 
her husband. He is flat on his back with rheu- 
matism.” 

The two boys turned into the side road. The 
way was so rough they had to dismount. As 
they dropped their bicycles and started on foot the 
woman called again. 

‘‘Help! Thieves! Help!” 

“ Somebody is robbing them ! ” burst out Joe. 
“ I wonder Look there ! ” 

He pointed to an open field beside the cottage. 
A man was crossing the spot, running swiftly, with 
a sack over his shoulder. 

“Stop!” cried Paul. “Stop!” 

At this new cry the man turned hurriedly and 
looked back. The moonlight shone full upon his 
face for an instant. Then the fellow kept on run- 
ning and soon passed into the woods back of the 
cottage. 

“ Did you see who it was? ” demanded Joe. 

“ Dan Marcy ! ” 

“ Exactly.” 


CHAPTER X 


A RED-HOT DISCUSSION 

The boys were surprised, but only for an instant. 
Then they remembered that Dan Marcy was a 
criminal and had done time in jail and was liable 
to be locked up again — if the authorities could 
catch him. 

“ Shall we go after him? asked Paul. 

“ It would do no good, Paul. It is too dark 
in the woods to follow him. But it is something 
to know who he was,” added Joe. 

Mrs. Preter, a woman sixty years old and bent 
from hard work, was out in the dooryard, wring- 
ing her hands in despair. She knew Paul, for she 
had occasionally worked for Mrs. Shale, doing 
plain sewing. 

What did he do, Mrs. Preter? ” 

‘‘ Oh, Paul, is that you ? ” cried the woman. 
‘‘ Oh, the villain! To rob poor folks like us! He 
ought to be hung ! ” 

‘‘What did he get?” 

“ Oh, a whole lot of things — my silver spoons — 
96 


A EED-HOT DISCUSSION 97 

the ones left to me by my mother — and Mr. Preter’s 
watch — and our brass clock, and a lace shawl my 
Aunt Jerusha left me — and — and a lot of other 
things. And he took a dressed chicken, too, and 
a pound of butter and some eggs!” The woman 
wrung her hands dolefully. 

‘‘ He certainly is the meanest kind of a thief ! ” 
cried Paul. “ Did you recognize him ? ” 

“ Pve seen him before — in Lakeport — but I don’t 
know his name.” 

‘‘ It was a fellow named Dan Marcy — we recog- 
nized him in the moonlight. He has been in prison 
and got out only a short while ago. He is sus- 
pected of having robbed the wrecked train, too, — 
and he has kept himself out of sight ever since.” 

'' I hope we can catch him. I can’t afford to lose 
what little I possess,” answered Mrs. Preter. 

The boys entered the cottage, to find the place 
in considerable disorder. Mr. Preter was in bed, 
unable to get up, and his wife explained that she 
had retired about eight o’clock. She had awakened 
from hearing something fall, and had seen the 
robber in the sitting room. She had screamed and 
he had run into the kitchen and then outdoors. 

“ I don’t believe you can do much to-night,” said 
Paul. '' But when we get back to Lakeport we’ll 
tell the authorities.” 


98 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

One thing made Mrs. Preter thankful. She had 
some money concealed in an old teapot and Marcy 
had failed to find this. But the loss of her silver 
and other things made her sorrowful, and she said 
over and over again she hoped Marcy would be 
captured. 

It was nearly midnight when Joe and Paul got 
home. They told the police of what had occurred, 
and the next day the woods were searched for 
traces of Dan Marcy. But neither the rascal nor 
his booty was located. 

He’s a thoroughly bad egg,” said Mr. West- 
more when he heard the news. “ Lakeport won’t 
be safe until he is in prison again.” 

‘‘ And to think of his robbing poor Mrs. Preter,” 
added Mrs. Westmore. “ It is simply awful ! ” 

“ I always did despise Dan Marcy,” remarked 
Laura Westmore. “ Don’t you remember what a 
bully he used to be, and how he almost ran down 
Cora Runnell with his ice-boat?” she added, re- 
ferring to a happening which hks been related in 
detail in “ The Gun Club Boys of Lakeport.” At 
that time Cora might have been killed had it not 
been for the quick work of Joe, who had skated 
in and dragged her out of harm’s way. This en- 
counter had led to a bitter quarrel between the 
older Westmore boy and Marcy, and ever since 


A EED-HOT DISCUSSION 99 

that time the Westmores had had no friendship 
with the young man who had gone to the bad. 

Of course the other boys were anxious to know 
the particulars of Paul and Joe’s visit to Brookside, 
and many were the speculations as to what the next 
Saturday’s meeting would bring forth. 

I’ll tell you one thing,” said Walter on the 
Friday previous to the proposed meeting. “ I don’t 
think Si and Ike are as thick with some of those 
new boys as they were. This noon I saw Si stop 
at the drug store with Ike for soda, and Carr went 
by with Hancock. Si motioned for Carr and Han- 
cock to join him and Ike, but those new boys 
shook their heads and walked on. I stopped to 
look in the drug store window, and Si seemed to 
be terribly put out. He and Ike came out talking 
earnestly, and just as they went by I heard Si say, 

* If they don’t do it I’ll fix ’em, see if I don’t ! ’ ” 

Oh, Si is always going to ‘ fix ’ somebody ! ” 
cried Link. “ He’s more of a gas-bag than any- 
thing else.” 

Perhaps those new boys have found him out,” 
was Bart’s comment. It would be a good job 
done if they have.” 

It was no easy matter for all the boys to get 
away on Saturday afternoon. Much to his regret, 
Harry had to help his father at the store, and 


100 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

Link had to clean up the carpenter shop for his 
parent, while several others had also to remain 
behind. But a delegation of eight went to the 
Bartlett Point hotel, headed by Joe, Fred, and 
Paul. 

At the meeting, which was held in a hall occa- 
sionally used for dancing, about thirty boys were 
present. The gathering was called to order by 
George Dixon, who was speedily chosen as perma- 
nent chairman. George explained the object of 
the meeting, and then allowed those present to 
have their say. 

At once Si Voup arose and demanded recogni- 
tion. He told of the club he had helped to organize, 
“ with the aid of some of the finest young men in 
Lakeport,'' he added, glancing at Ike and some 
others present, and added that he and his followers 
were in favor of making up the Lake League of 
his own club and the clubs from Camdale, Brook- 
side, and Bralham. He did not favor the Barton 
Park club, and would not stand for that club coming 
into the League. 

‘‘I guess Si wants to run everything his own 
way,” murmured Fred. 

“Just you wait and see if he does,” whispered 
Roy Willetts in reply. 

No sooner had Si finished than Jerry Wardock 


A RED-HOT DISCUSSION 101 

jumped up, and in spite of the fact that a youth 
from Bralham was already talking, he insisted upon 
being heard. 

“ The club from Camdale agrees with what was 
said by the member from the Lakeport Seniors,'' 
cried Jerry loudly. “ We don't want no club from 
Barton Park in this League. They are dudes, an' 

they can't play, an' " 

We are not dudes, and we can play as well 
as the average club," said a youth from Barton 
Park. '‘We have fine grounds, and a good outfit 
all the way through, and I think our application 
to enter the League ought to be considered. But 
we are not going to bribe anybody to let us in," 
he added significantly. 

" Who's bribing anybody ? " roared Jerry. 

" That is just what I’d like to know? " demanded 
Si, but his face grew red as he spoke. 

“ I'll tell you who has been bribing somebody! " 
cried Roy Willetts, leaping up. " You I ” And he 
pointed his finger at Si. 

^‘Me? It's false!" 

" It is true, — and I can prove it. Si Voup, — and 
so can half a dozen other fellows here. You went 
to Camdale and bribed some fellows there to stick 
by your club. Then you went to Bralham and tried 
to do the same thing." 


102 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“ And he got left ! ” burst out a Bralham youth. 

‘‘ He doesn’t dare to deny it.” 

I I do deny it,” murmured Si, but his voice 

grew suddenly weak. 

He offered me five dollars and I flung it in his 
face,” went on the boy from Bralham. 

‘‘ Yes, and he offered me the use of his motor 
boat if I would stick up for his club and vote 
against the Westmore club,” said a Brookside 
youth. 

Not a word of that is true,” cried Ike Board- 
man, who thought he must in some way stick up 
for his crony. 

“ It is true ! ” came from several. 

“Look here, I want to say something!” cried 
a tall, thin boy with a shock of black hair and 
coal-black eyes. “ I came to this meeting to talk 
and that’s all. I don’t expect to join the League 
nor play on any eleven. And why? Because I’m 
done with the Camdale club and with Jerry 
Wardock and all the rest. I was on the baseball 
club, and some of you know the record I made. 
They wanted me on the football eleven, but they 
wanted me to stand in with Si Voup and Ike 
Boardman, and they tried to bribe me to do it. The 
money came from Ike Boardman, but I’m pretty 
sure he got it from Si. I told ’em I wasn’t going 



'V- 








I’ll tell you who has been bribing somebody ! — You ! ” 

Page 101. 





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A EED-HOT DISCUSSION 103 

to be bribed, and that I was through with the 
whole gang — and I am. I consider that anybody 
who would play with Si Voup and his crowd and 
with the Camdale club as now organized ain’t 
decent. I want ” 

‘'You shut up, Bill Carey!” shouted Jerry 
Wardock. “ If you say another word Fll ” 

“ That’s right, make him keep quiet,” added Ike 
Boardman. 

“ I won’t keep quiet, and you can’t make me,” 
returned Bill Carey recklessly. I came to show 
up Si Voup and I’ll do it, too. He’s no kind of 
a fellow for any respectable boy to train with, in 
spite of his good clothes, his money, and his motor 
boat. If it wasn’t for the Westmores and some 
other folks being easy with him he’d be in jail 
this minute, and he knows it.” 

A perfect uproar followed, and George Dixon 
rapped in vain for order. A dozen boys tried to 
talk at once. In the midst of the excitement Si 
Voup caught Bill Carey by the collar and received 
a blow in the mouth that sent him on his back 
and loosened several of his teeth. This sudden 
turn of affairs caused a pause, and the meeting 
instantly became as quiet as it had previously been 
noisy. 

“Boys, if you don’t stop this noise and settle 


104 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

down to business Fll call this meeting off/’ cried 
George Dixon, when he could be heard. 

“ Mr. Chairman, so far I have said nothing,” 
cried a youth in the rear of the room. “ Will 
you kindly allow me to speak for just two or 
three minutes ? ” 

The tone was so gentlemanly that nearly every- 
body turned to face the speaker. It was Andy 
Carr. He looked pale but determined. 

“ You have the floor,” answered George, nodding. 
“ Now everybody else keep quiet,” he added, as 
several started to speak. 

Look here,” commenced Ike. “ I ” 

‘‘ Stop ! you are out of order ! ” answered George, 
and he looked so sternly at Ike that the latter sub- 
sided instantly. 

‘‘ rd like to make an explanation, not only for 
myself, but for my friend here, Henry Hancock,” 
said Andy Carr, in a clear voice that could be 
distinctly heard by everybody. “ We are new- 
comers in Lakeport, having moved there only a 
few weeks ago. We fell in with Si Voup and 
Ike Boardman, and, not knowing what sort they 
were, we became friendly. Voup took us and some 
other boys out in his motor boat, and the trips were 
very pleasant. The Lakeport Senior Football Club 
was proposed, and we agreed to help form it, and 


A EED-HOT DISCUSSION 105 

get in some other boys who had just come to Lake- 
port to live. After that we found out what sort 
Voup and Boardman were, and then we learned 
something about this bribery. We told Voup and 
Boardman we wouldn’t stand for that, and they 
promised to act on the square. Evidently they 
haven t done so — and I now want to say right 
here — both for myself and my chum, Henry Han- 
cock — ^that we are done with Voup and Boardman 
and we’ll not play on the Lakeport Senior eleven, 
and what is more, we shall use our best endeavors 
to get our friends — those who just came to 
Lakeport like ourselves — to leave the club, 
too.” 

“ What ! going to desert us ! ” gasped Si. 

‘‘ Yes. I shall send in my resignation to-night.” 

‘‘ And I’ll send in mine,” added Henry Hancock. 

“ And I reckon you’ll get Tom Matterson’s* and 
Billy Berm’s, too.” 

‘‘ It’s — it’s — it’s an outrage ! ” blustered Si. He 
hardly knew what to say. 

“ Yo — you can’t leave us now,” faltered Ike. 

We can, and will,” said Andy Carr. We 
are done with you forever.” 

‘‘ Mr. Chairman, I want to make a motion ! ” 
cried a boy from Brookside, leaping up on a chair. 

I move that the applications of the Lakeport 


106 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Seniors and the Camdale clubs to enter the Lake 
League be rejected.” 

‘'That’s the talk!” came from a Bralham lad. 
“ Put them out— and keep them out I ” 

“And take the Westmore Lakeport club in,” 
added Roy Willetts. And at this suggestion there 
was wild cheering. 

Joe looked at Paul and his other chums. 

“ We are going to win! he whispered. “ Just 
wait and see ! ” 


CHAPTER XI 

HOW THE MEETING ENDED 

‘‘You can't put us out!" cried Jerry Wardock 
and Si Voup in a breath. 

“ Put it to a vote I Put it to a vote I " was the 
cry. 

Another hot discussion followed, and it was not 
until half an hour later that a vote was taken, first 
on the Lakeport Seniors and then on the Camdale 
club. Parliamentary rules were broken, but the 
boys knew what they wanted, and got it. Thirty- 
two votes were cast, and the application from Cam- 
dale was rejected by a vote of 23 to 9, while the 
Voup club lost by a vote of 25 to 7. At this 
Si Voup and Jerry Wardock were furious. 

“ Going back on us this way, are you ? " cried 
Jerry shrilly, as he shook his fist at the crowd. 
“All right — just you wait till you see what we 
do next! " And he stalked out of the room, fol- 
lowed by the other members of his club. 

“ I say this is an outrage ! " spluttered Si. “ Pve 
107 


108 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


a good mind to have the law on somebody — for 
blackening my character.” 

“ Blackenin’ your characther, is it ? ” asked Teddy 
Dugan scornfully. Sure an’ ye can’t shpoil a 
rotten egg, so ye can’t ! ” And this witty observa- 
tion caused a laugh. 

‘'If we are put out of this League we’ll form 
a League of our own,” said Ike. 

“ Go ahead and do it ! was the cry from sev- 
eral. “We don’t care what you do — so long as 
you get out of here.” And then, so angry that 
he could not speak. Si Voup clapped his cap on 
his head and ran from the meeting room, and his 
cohorts followed him. Andy Carr and Henry 
Hancock had disappeared before the voting, having 
said all they deemed necessary. 

As soon as the Camdale boys and the Voup 
crowd had departed order was restored, and then 
the forming of the Lake Football League went for- 
ward rapidly. It was made up of the four clubs 
from Lakeport, Brookside, Bralham, and Barton 
Park. The number of games to be played was 
left to a committee of eight — two from each club — 
who were to select a ninth member from outside — 
some gentleman well-known in football circles. To 
this committee were also left the distribution of 
dates and the buying of the Lake Pennant — the 


HOW THE MEETING ENDED 109 

prize to go to the winning club. After settling 
down to business the utmost harmony prevailed, 
and when the various club members separated it 
was with the idea of making the League the greatest 
success Pine Lake had ever known. 

“ I am very sorry for Andy Carr and Henry 
Hancock,’' said Joe to George Dixon. “ They were 
simply roped in by Si Voup and Ike Boardman.” 

They seemed to be very nice fellows,” answered 
the Brookside youth. If they want to come into 
your club why not take them? ” 

“I was thinking of that? Do you think there 
would be any objection from the other boys — I 
mean on account of their having been friendly 
with Voup ? ” 

“ No — not after the manner in which Carr and 
Hancock explained the situation. If you want me 
to ril sound the other fellows.” 

“ I wish you would, George.” 

‘‘All right, I will, — and I’ll write to you about 
it in a couple of days.” 

“ It’s queer I didn't get that other letter,” mused 
Joe. 

“ I am half of the opinion Voup got that letter 
in some way. If he is tricky in one way he’s apt 
to be so in another.” 

“ I wish I could find out — but I guess I can't." 


110 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


When the Lakeport boys got home those who 
had been left behind anxiously gathered at the boat- 
house to learn the particulars of the meeting. All 
were amazed at what Voup and Boardman and the 
Camdale fellows had done — that is, all but a youth 
named Ike Suttervane, a tall, lean country lad who 
had occasionally played on the ball nine. 

Humph ! I knowed somethin’ was wrong with 
Si and Ike ! ” he declared. “ I was drivin’ the ox 
team when I met ’em cornin’ home. They was 
mad, an’ when I spoke to ’em they both flew 
in a rage. I jumped off the cart with my gad, 
an’ ye ought to see ’em run! ” 

‘‘ Oh, I suppose they’ll be ready to do almost 
anything to pay us back for shoving them out of 
the League,” said Harry. “ But they deserved 
what they got — the sneaks I ” 

Now that it was an assured fact that the boys 
were to become a part of the Lake League, the 
work of putting the club on a solid foundation pro- 
ceeded rapidly. Once again “ the hat was passed 
around ” among the lads and their relatives and 
friends, and this netted forty-six dollars. Then 
Munroe Corsen came forward and made a dona- 
tion of fifty dollars, and Rockley White presented 
them with two fine footballs — one for practice 
and another for regular games. 


HOW THE MEETING ENDED 111 

‘‘ Mr. Carl Bellman would like to see you,” 
said the rowing coach to Joe. ‘‘ He asked me to 
tell you the first time I saw you. He wants to 
talk to you about the football club.” 

Scenting what might be in the air, Joe, accom- 
panied by Fred, called upon the analytical chemist 
that evening at his home. They found him reading 
over a book on the revised football rules. 

‘‘ I am just brushing up my knowledge a bit,” 
he said, smiling as he put the book down. “ The 
rules change from year to year. But I don’t know 
that I shall need to brush up,” he added after a 
pause. 

‘‘Mr. White said you’d like to see me,” said 
Joe. “I hope ” he stopped short. 

“ What did you hope ? ” 

“ I hope you’ll coach our eleven, Mr. Bellman, — 
we need you very much.” 

“ Have you heard about the breaking-up of the 
other team, the Lakeport Seniors ? ” 

“ No, — but I am not surprised, — after the way 
Voup and Boardman acted.” 

“That was disgraceful,” said Carl Bellman 
quickly. “Andy Carr and Henry Hancock told 
me about them.” 

“ Have they cut Si and Ike ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed.” 


112 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“ Then perhaps they'd like to join our football 
club — that is, if they can play fairly well." 

'' We’d like to have them join," put in Fred. 

We’ve talked it over with most of the other 
members, too." 

I am very glad to hear it ! ’’ cried Mr. Bellman, 
and smiled warmly. It relieves my mind of a 
good deal of worry. I was going to suggest some- 
thing of the sort. Andy and Henry will be more 
pleased to have the suggestion come from you." 

“ Then we’ll ask them to join to-morrow," said 
Joe. And if they do, will you " 

“ Yes, I’ll consent to coach you, if you’ll take 
in Andy and Henry. But I don’t want to see 
those lads left out in the cold. They are particular 
friends of mine and I take a great interest in them." 

“ I saw a telephone in the hall," came from Fred, 
who was Rush by nature as well as by name. 

Perhaps we might telephone to those two boys, 
by your permission. I’ll pay for the calls.” 

“Don’t mind about pay— put it down as club 
business," answered the chemist. “ I’ll call Andy. 
More than likely Henry is over at his house." 

Andy was at home, and he said Henry was with 
him, and both boys lost no time in coming over 
to Carl Bellman’s house. They were a bit shy 
at first, but this soon wore away. They thanked 


HOW THE MEETING ENDED 113 

Joe and Fred for the invitation to join the football 
club and said they would do so willingly if the 
other members wanted them to come in. 

They do, and you’ll receive a written notice 
to that effect to-morrow,” answered Joe. 

I don t know what Si Voup is going to do,” 
went on Andy Carr. ‘‘About half of the other 
boys have left the Lakeport Seniors, but the rest 
will stick. They talk about calling themselves the 
Voup Stars from now on, and forming a league 
with Camdale and another club.” 

‘‘ We are angry to think how Voup and Board- 
man took us in,” explained Henry Hancock. 
“ Next time I’ll make some inquiries before I take 
up with boys I don’t know.” 

On the following day Joe called the others of 
the club together and Andy and Henry were duly 
elected members. Each promptly paid his initia- 
tion, and the father of each contributed five dollars 
to the general fund. 

“ Hurrah ! the money is rolling right in now ! ” 
cried Harry. “ We can get a good outfit, and pay 
cash, too ! ” His delight was shared by every one 
present. 

With Andy and Henry the total membership 
of the club was sixteen, but of these several would 
not be able to play all the games, on account of 


114 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


various duties and because they were going away. 
Nobody was assigned to a position on the eleven, 
for Mr. Bellman wanted first to put every one into 
practice and see what sort of material was offered 
to build up a strong team. 

‘‘And I also want to have a look at the other 
elevens,’’ said the coach. “ Then I’ll know better 
what kind of method to pursue in coaching. If 
the other elevens are lighter than you, heavy, mass 
play may be the most effective, while if they are 
heavy boys you’ll have to rely more on quickness 
and cleverness than on weight.” 

“ Gracious ! I never thought of that ! ” mur- 
mured Link. 

“ Oh, there’s a whole lot to learn about foot- 
ball,” returned Paul. “ Just as much as there was 
about baseball and rowing. You can’t just get 
up a club, practice a little, and then go on the 
gridiron and win.” 

“Nowadays,” pursued Carl Bellman, “team 
work is what counts. I’d rather have an eleven 
of fairly good players who worked well together 
than some brilliant players who wanted to ‘ star ’ 
and nothing else. ‘ Star ’ plays are all well enough 
in their place, but a player must know when it 
is best to help a brother player, even though it pre- 
vents himself from making a brilliant turn. In 


HOW THE MEETING ENDED 115 

a word, each man must be willing to sacrifice 
himself for the benefit of the eleven at large.” 

“ Well, we have to do that in baseball at times,” 
answered Fred. 

“ Yes, and in any other sport where more than 
one player on a side takes part,” concluded Carl 
Bellman. 

In a few days it was announced that the com- 
mittee of arrangements had fixed it that each team 
should play nine games, three with every other 
team. The majority of the games were to be played 
on Saturady afternoons, although one set were to 
come off on a Thursday in October and another 
on a Thursday in November — Thanksgiving Day. 
This would bring the series to an end late in 
November. The club having the highest number 
of games won was to take the Pennant. If two 
or more clubs were to tie, such a tie, or ties, should 
be played off later. 

The Pennant was a beautiful affair of silk, with 
lettering of gold. As an additional prize Mr. 
Corsen offered a silver cup, and a rich jeweler of 
Brookside said that he would give each member 
of the winning eleven a silver badge. 

“ Well, we’ve certainly got something to work 
for,” was Walter’s comment. '‘A banner, a cup, 
and a silver badge ! ” 


116 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 




“ Not to say anything about the honor of being 
champions/’ added Harry. “ That is greatest of 
all.” 

“ Right you are,” put in Frank Pemberton. 

But let me tell you, we’ve got to work hard to 
win. The Brookside boys are out for our scalp 
this time.” 

“ Yes, and I’ve been told that the Barton Park 
fellows are all good players. Three of them used 
to play on a high school eleven, and two on a 
preparatory academy club.” 

‘‘What about Bralham?” asked Andy Carr, 
who was as enthusiastic as anybody about the 
prospects. 

“ I don’t know much about that club.” 

“ They are the dark horses in this race,” said 
Harry. “ They may show up very well, and they 
may show up poorly.” 

As soon as possible the club members got into 
practice at the football field, and Carl Bellman com- 
menced his task of coaching them. Link and sev- 
eral others put up the goal posts one afternoon, 
and the next afternoon commenced to build a sec- 
tion of fencing that was needed. All boys worked 
with a will, for they wanted to get the task com- 
pleted as soon as possible. Three days later the 
job was done. 


HOW THE MEETING ENDED 117 

“And it looks very well,” said Carl Bellman 
as he inspected it.. 

On Saturday morning a small boy came running 
to Fred's home. 

'‘Come on quick!'' shrilled the little lad. He 
was greatly excited. 

"What's the matter?" demanded the stout 
youth. 

"Your football posts are down, and so is the 
fence, and the grounds are all torn up! " answered 
the small boy. 


CHAPTER XII 


THE FIRST GAME OF THE SERIES 

This is some of Si Voup’s mean work! 

Such was Fred’s mental comment as he dashed 
down the street. At the corner he ran into Paul. 

“I was just coming for you and the others!” 
cried the latter. “ Did you hear the news ? ” 

“ About the football grounds ? ” 

“Yes. Isn’t it the meanest ever!” 

“ Do you know who did it, Paul ? ” 

“I suspect Si Voup and Ike Boardman.” 

“ So do I. Come on, I want to see how bad it is.” 
When they reached the field they found that Link 
and Walter had just arrived. As the small boy 
had said, the goal timbers had been torn out ‘of 
the ground and the fence was a complete wreck. 
Here and there holes from six inches to a foot 
deep had been dug in the gridiron. 

“ Isn’t this enough to make one sick?” groaned 
the carpenter’s son. “ And just think how hard 
we worked to build that fence and get up the goals ! 

118 


THE FIEST GAME 119 

I’d just like to mash somebody for it ! ” And Link 
clenched his fists. 

‘‘Is there any trace of the rascals?’^ questioned 
Fred. And he told of what he suspected. 

“ All of us think Si and Ike guilty/’ said Walter. 

But to think so is one thing, and to prove it quite 
another.” 

“ This must have been done between midnight 
and early this morning,” said a man who was 
present. “ I walked across the grounds at just 
twelve o’clock and the posts were up and so was 
the fence.” 

“ Did you see anybody hanging around ? ” ques- 
tioned Fred eagerly. 

‘‘ Not a soul.” 

The news soon spread, and by nine o’clock all 
the members of the football club were on hand. 
It was found that one of the timbers of the goal 
posts was missing and another had been hacked 
in two with an ax. 

There was no help for it, and the majority of 
the boys worked nearly all day and Monday after- 
noon putting things into proper shape once more. 

“ The worst of it is, if we don’t catch the guilty 
party or parties, this thing may happen again,” said 
Harry. “ They may rip the grounds up just before 
one of the matches.” 


120 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“If anybody does that he’ll get killed!” cried 
Paul. He did not mean exactly what he said, but 
he meant a good deal. 

With the grounds in order once more, practice 
began on Wednesday afternoon, after school, in 
earnest, and was kept up steadily by the majority 
of the club members. The only lads to drop out 
were Ike Suttervane, the country boy already intro- 
duced, and Augustus De Vere, a fastidious youth 
who had belonged to the baseball organization. 

“ Football is too rough for me, don’t you know,” 
lisped Augustus. “ A fellow might fall down and 
break his nose, and that would be horrid. But 
I’ll pay my dues, and I’ll root for all I know how 
at every game.” And with this the other boys 
were well satisfied, for Augustus, they felt certain, 
would make more errors than good plays on the 
gridiron. 

Fortunately, Carl Bellman was not a “ lopsided 
coach,” as some are called — ^that is, he did not coach 
up some positions at the expense of others. To 
him every man on the eleven was important. 

“ Some men think that four or five players, if 
they are brilliant, can play the whole game, just 
as some think the pitcher and catcher the whole 
of a ball nine,” said the coach. “ But that is not so. 
The battery on a nine must have good support, 


THE FIEST GAME 


121 


and the entire eleven of a football team must be 
equally trained. I have seen a brilliant play go 
all to pieces just because a tackle or an end or 
a full-back didn’t play up to the sharpness of the 
quarter-back or center.’^ 

I guess every fellow here is willing to do his 
best,” said Joe. 

‘‘ And another thing,” went on the coach. “ It 
is just as important to play on the c/^fensive as on 
the o^ensive, for while you want to score you also 
want to keep your opponents from chalking up a 
touchdown, goal, or safety. An eleven that can 
always defend itself is sure of winning many games, 
for some time or other it will catch the other eleven 
when it is weak or off its guard.” 

Then began a systematic ‘‘ trying out ” of all the 
boys, and with the aid of a few outsiders — who 
were old football players — two “ scrub ” elevens 
were formed, and the lads were taught how to kick 
and handle kicks, how to run, how to play in a 
scrimmage, how to down an opponent, how to 
hurdle, how to pass the ball under all sorts of 
conditions, how to play an open game and how to 
mass the attack. For the mass play they used a 
wedge which was Carl Bellman’s modification of 
that used at one of our great colleges, and this, 
later on, proved very effective. 


122 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“ I am glad to say that most of you have good 
wind and good staying qualities/’ said the coach. 
“ I rather think that is due to Mr. White’s training 
for the boat races.” 

You are right there,” answered Fred. “ He 
pulled me down about twelve pounds, but he built 
up my lung power and my muscles wonder- 
fully.” 

“ And as you are now strong, your weight ought 
to count for much in the coming contests,” added 
Carl Bellman, and he was right. 

There was much that the lads did not have to 
learn. This was about dieting, about the non-use 
of tobacco and liquor, and about the necessity of 
daily exercise. Rockley White had drilled this into 
them before the boat races, and all had seen the 
wisdom of the advice. 

Andy Carr entered with great enthusiasm into 
the training, but with Henry Hancock it was differ- 
ent, as Joe and Harry soon discovered. Henry 
was, in a way, willing enough, but he was shy by 
nature, and very often unwilling to trust himself. 
He did all that he was told, but did very little 
of his own initiative. 

“ It seems to me he lacks backbone,” said Harry 
to his brother, when the two were going home from 
practice one day. 


THE FIRST GAME 


123 


‘‘ He is afraid to trust himself/’ answered the 
older Westmore boy. “He is like some other 
fellows I know — they don’t know what they 
can do because they will never let themselves 
out” 

“ But he is a staving good fellow/’ added Harry 
hastily. 

“ Yes, I like him and Andy very much, and I 
am glad they are on our eleven.” 

Since the day of the meeting at the Bartlett 
Point hotel. Si Voup and Ike Boardman had shown 
themselves very little around Lakeport. But the 
cronies were busy organizing a new eleven, which 
was called the Voup Stars, and presently this new 
club and the Camdale club formed a league with 
another eleven, named the Resolutes, who hailed 
from Brookside. 

“ The Resolutes are mostly tough boys,” said 
George Dixon to Paul, when the latter sailed one 
day to Brookside in the Sprite with Link. “ I 
shouldn’t want to play with them under any cir- 
cumstances.” 

“ Well, the Voup Stars are little better,” an- 
swered Paul. “ He has some boys from the sash 
and blind factory, and two from the paint works, 
and they are a hard crowd. One threw a bad egg 
at Walter Bannister once, but Walter ran after 


124 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

him and give him a good one in the nose for it. 
Since that the fellow is keeping his distance, so 
Walter says.’^ 

The schedule had been made up for the Lake 
League, and Lakeport’s opening game was to be 
played with Bralham, at Lakeport. The boys had 
done all that was possible for the opening of the 
season. The grounds were rolled smooth, the lines 
freshly chalked, and the grand-stand gayly decorated 
with flags and bunting. The news had gone forth 
far and wide that the football season was to be 
inaugurated, and, as a consequence, long before 
the time for play to begin, the stand was crowded 
with rooters, while the fence was black with people 
four and five deep. 

“Oh, Joe, I hope you win!” cried Laura, as 
he prepared to leave home for the field. 

“ We are going to do our best,” he answered. 

“ Violet Cor sen is going to be there — with her 
father — and so are some of the other girls.” 

The line-up for the game had been announced 
several days before by Carl Bellman. 

“ I don’t know whether I’ll keep you in these 
positions or not,” said the coach on assigning the 
places. “ One or two games will tell me what is 
best to do. A practice game is one thing and a real 
contest quite another.” 


THE. FIRST GAME 


125 


The line-up was as follows: — 

Frank Pemberton Left end 

Walter Bannister Left tackle 

Harry Westmore Left guard 

Fred Rush Center 

Link Harrow Right guard 

Andy Carr Right tackle 

Paul Shale Right end 

Joe Westmore (captain) . . Quarter-back 

Matt Roscoe Left half-back 

Henry Hancock Right half-back 

Bart Mason Full-back 

Substitutes : Teddy Dugan, Kyle Fenton, 

and Charles Doolittle 

To go into the details of this first game would 
be rather superfluous. The playing on both sides 
was ragged, and twice Bralham came close to going 
to pieces, once in each half. It was only the wild 
cheering of their followers, who had come down 
the lake in a big bunch, that brought them together, 
at a time when it looked as if Lakeport might make 
a touchdown with ease. During the first half, the 
ball was almost always in Bralham’s territory. 
They would try the line and then kick to midfield. 
Lakeport would try to advance the ball by line- 
plunging and then return the kick, and these tactics 


126 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


were kept up for a long time. Presently the lads 
from Lakeport lost the leather on an on-side kick, 
and the Bralham quarter-back seized it and made 
a run of fifteen yards to his own 35-yard mark. 
Then he made another sensational run to mid- 
field. 

“ That’s the way to do it ! ” yelled the Bralham 
rooters. Keep it up, Langley. You’re the 
goods ! ” 

But if Langley was the goods,” he was not 
properly supported, and the battle waged wildly 
in the center of the gridiron for a long time. Then 
the ball came down as far as the Lakeport 20-yard 
line. But before it could go further the whistle 
sounded, and the first half was over, and neither 
eleven had scored. 

“ Better luck next time,” said Paul. He had 
worked hard for a touchdown, but without avail. 

“ Keep cool,” was Carl Bellman’s advice. “ You 
have been playing too wildly, — and so has Bral- 
ham.” 

The brief rest soon came to an end, and amid 
a breathless silence the second half of the game 
started. After one scrimmage, Lakeport tried the 
line, but in vain, and then Matt Roscoe punted. 
The Bralham quarter-back rushed in to catch the 
punt, but to the dismay of the boys from up the 


THE FIEST GAME 127 

lake overran the ball, and it came to earth behind 
him on the 40-yard line. 

“Now is your chance, Mason ! ” was the cry, 
and quick as a flash Bart arose to the occasion 
and leaped for the ball. He made five yards, 
almost fell, and then went forward as rapidly as 
his weight allowed. 

“A touchdown! A touchdown!’' was the cry 
from the Lakeport supporters, but this was not to 
be. As Bart was nearing the five-yard mark one 
of the Bralham players caught him and threw 
him heavily. 

“ Only five yards more ! ” came in a yell from 
Lakeport. “ Only five yards more ! ” 

The ball was entrusted to Joe, and amid a breath- 
less silence he jammed into the Bralham eleven, 
making a gain of four yards and a half. Then 
Fred was given a chance, and amid a din that 
was deafening, the pigskin was pushed over the 
line. 

“ A touchdown for Lakeport ! Hurrah ! ” 

“ Now make it a goal, fellows ! ” 

And a goal it became, Joe doing the kicking. 
And then another din followed. 

The goal for Lakeport seemed to take the 
“ starch ” out of Bralham, and for the next ten 
minutes they played wildly. This resulted in a 


128 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

goal from the field, Link Darrow sending the pig- 
skin between the posts. Then the whistle sounded, 
and the contest was over. 

Lakeport had played its first game of the series, 
and won by a score of lo to o. 




CHAPTER XIII 


PRACTICE AND A SAIL 

The Lakeport boys in general were greatly elated 
over the victory, and so were the eleven, but Carl 
Bellman smiled but faintly. 

‘‘ I do not wish to discourage you, or pour cold 
water on your success,” said the coach. But I 
hope to see you play much better football in the 
future.” 

Well, we won anyway,” pleaded Walter. 

“ Yes, but the playing on both sides was very 
wild. You did not use the judgment I hoped for. 
Twice you had a good chance of scoring in the 
first half, but you allowed both chances to slip past. 
You did a little better in the second half, — but the 
game was won, not because you played well, but 
because Bralham played so very poorly. I know 
I am brutally frank, but a coach must be that or 
nothing. You’ll have to do much better if you hope 
to defeat Barton Park and Brookside.” 

This put a good deal of a damper on some of the 
boys, and one or two thought Carl Bellman was 
* 129 


130 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


just talking to say something.” But Joe, Fred, 
and Bart Mason agreed very decidedly with their 
instructor. 

‘‘ It was wild and ragged,’’ said Joe. “ Why, I 
made half a dozen mistakes myself, and let one 
dandy chance of a goal from the field go by. I am 
sure that what he says about Barton Park and 
Brookside is true. We’ve got to buckle down to 
real, hard, solid practice from now on.” 

The full schedule had been made up by the 
committee, and the boys looked over it with interest. 
As the League contained four elevens, it was ar- 
ranged that two games should come off every play 
day. Thus on the day that Lakeport played Bral- 
ham, Brookside played Barton Park, the contest 
ending in a victory for Brookside by a score of 14 
to 6. Thus the first contests left Lakeport and 
Brookside tied for first place. 

Do you know, I don’t quite understand how this 
schedule is arranged,” said Frank, looking over the 
sheet that had been tacked up in the clubhouse. ‘‘ It 
certainly must have been a job to get it up.” 

Not such a job, after the committee got the 
swing of it,” answered Harry. “ Take our games, 
for instance. We have played Bralham, and next 
we play Barton Park, and then Brookside. Then 
we go over the same schedule twice more, making 


PRACTICE AND A SAIL 131 


nine games. Of those nine games five are to be 
played here and four at the other towns.’' 

“Yes, but I don’t see how they could help getting 
some clubs mixed up,” put in Paul. 

“ They arranged this sheet as you see it, and then 
the only thing to do was to fill it so that no club 
would have the same game number with more than 
one other club. For instance, if you number our 
games i, 2, 3, and so on, we then play Bralham, i, 
4 and 7; Barton Park, 2, 5 and 8, and Brookside, 3, 

6 and 9. At the same time Bralham plays i, 4 and 

7 with us, as I have said, and 2, 5 and 8, with Brook- 
side, and 3, 6 and 9 with Barton Park. And while 
this is going on Barton Park and Brookside play the 
other games, on the other open dates.” 

“ I am glad of one thing,” was Matt’s comment. 
“ We are to meet Barton Park before we tackle 
Brookside. As Brookside won last Saturday it 
must be a stronger team than Barton Park.” 

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the eleven 
went in for vigorous practice. Several minor 
changes were made in the players’ positions, but in 
the main the eleven remained as first planned by Mr. 
Bellman. The coach gave most of his attention 
during those days to the forward line. . 

“ I’ll get around to the backs later in the week,” 
he said to Joe and the others. 


132 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

So far, the forward line of the eleven had been 
content with almost plain charging — the coach had 
had little time to show them anything else — but now 
they were instructed how to block, how suddenly 
to shift out of position, and how, when this was 
done, to send the ball to some back who had been 
signaled to receive it. 

“ Sending the ball back unexpectedly is often 
very effective,” explained Carl Bellman, “ for it is 
a play that can be used over and over again, even 
after the other club knows of it. Supposing a half- 
back is to try a run around the end. The ball 
is snapped to the quarter-back, who runs to one 
side as if for a forward pass. But, instead of 
passing the ball forward, he sends it to the half- 
back, who suddenly strikes out around the end, 
and, if he is a clever runner, makes a long run 
before being downed. To make this play most ef- 
fective the players should line up quickly after a 
down, and catch their opponents off their guard.” 

With the running and criss-crossing came the 
handling of the pigskin in all sorts of positions. 
Innumerable scrimmages were tried, and the lads 
were -carefully taught to guard against anything 
in the way of off-side plays or fouls, as well as 
brutality. 

“ Remember, it is a gentleman’s game,” said the 


PRACTICE AND A SAIL 133 

coach. “ To win by brutality or unfairness is 
worse than not to win at all.'’ 

The signals bothered the boys a good deal, for 
they were very much more complex than they had 
been in baseball. Carl Bellman said that he thought 
it would be best to stick to figures solely, rather 
than a combination of figures and letters, as used by 
some colleges. 

‘‘If we make the system too complicated you’ll 
simply get confused, when the play gets hot. We’ll 
take figures, and please to remember that, in gen- 
eral, even figures stand for plays on the fight of the 
field and odd figures for plays on the left of the 
field. The first figure is a blind, given merely to de- 
ceive your opponents. If you want to deceive the 
enemy still more you can use a figure and a letter as 
a blind — or arrange it as you please before the 
beginning of each half. Now we’ll try all the even- 
figure plays first, 'and then all the odd-figure 
plays.” 

“ Phew ! I never imagined there was so much to 
football ! ” cried Fred, after the practice had come to 
an end. “ Why, there is as much in the science of 
signals and formations as it would take to move 
around an army in war ! ” 

“Not quite,” answered Carl Bellman. “But I 
admit there is a good deal of science in it — espe- 


134 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


cially as now played by our leading universities. 
But we’ll not dip so deeply into it as that.” 

On the day that the game between Lakeport and 
Bralham came off, the Voup Stars played a game at 
Camdale. This resulted in a victory for Camdale 
by a score of 22 to 6. Of course the Camdale club 
was pleased. Si Voup and Boardman were very 
crestfallen, and for several days did not show 
themselves on the 'main street of their home 
town. 

Si is catching it right enough,” said Harry. 
“ Perhaps, after a few more defeats, he’ll be sorry 
he organized that rival league.” 

One afternoon Paul had to go up the lake on 
business, and as there was a good breeze blowing, 
he decided to make the trip in the Sprite. He in- 
vited Harry and Matt to go with him and they read- 
ily accepted. On the way to the dock they ran 
across Andy Carr. 

‘‘ Come along, Andy,” cried Paul pleasantly, for 
the lads had now become well acquainted. 

'' Thank you, I will,” was' Andy’s answer. '' IVe 
never had the chance to do much sailing. The 
town I came from only had a brook, where the 
most we could do was to go wading and catch 
trout.” 

‘‘ Catching trout is all right,” remarked Matt. 


PEACTICE AND A SAIL 135 

'' By the way, we must go fishing some day,” he 
added, and to this Andy readily agreed. 

With all sails set, the Sprite was soon standing 
up the lake shore at a good rate of speed. All of 
the boys on board were in the best of spirits, and 
to while away the time Matt told some funny 
stories, which set the others to roaring. 

“ Here cames a motor boat,” said Harry pres- 
ently. “Wonder if it is Si Voup’s craft?” 

“ It is, and there are Si and Ike on board as 
usual,” answered Paul, a minute later. 

“ I don’t suppose he takes the other boys out as 
much as he did,” went on Harry, to Andy. 

“ Oh, he takes out the fellows who joined his new 
club. He has no use for the others — and they have 
no use for him.” 

The Sprite was close to a small island, and to 
get out of shallow water Paul had to shift his 
course. This brought the sloop closer to the motor 
boat. 

“ Hi, you ! Don’t you run us down ! ” yelled 
Ike Boardman, as he leaped up from his seat. 

“ Keep where you are and you’ll be safe ! ” called 
back Paul. “ But don’t come any closer. It’s too 
shallow for the Sprite in here.” 

“ Humph ! that isn’t our fault I ” growled Si 
Voup. 


136 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


‘‘ Well, you keep off.” 

“ I have a right to run where I please,” growled 
the unreasonable owner of the motor boat. ‘‘ This 
is a free lake.” 

He saw that he had Paul '' cornered,” as it might 
be called. Near the upper end of the island the 
water was very shallow, and the Sprite would have 
to swing to starboard or go aground. He kept the 
motor boat in the course Paul would have to take to 
clear his craft. 

‘‘Si, get out of the way!” yelled 'Harry, 
who saw plainly the trouble that loomed ahead. 
“ We’ve got to run out of here, and you know 
it.” 

“ Huh I you can’t boss me I ” 

“ If you run into the motor boat you’ll be sued 
for damages I ” added Ike Boardman. 

“ You give me a clear course out, or I’ll cut you 
in two and sink you I ” cried Paul, with a sudden 
show of spirit. 

“ Oh, Paul ” began Matt. 

“You wouldn’t really do that, would you?” 
asked Andy, in a low tone. 

“ No — ^guess I can scare him,” answered the skip- 
per of the Sprite. 

He was right about scaring the pair on the motor 
boat. As the Sprite began to swing slowly around. 


PEACTICE AND A SAIL 137 

in answer to Paurs manipulation of the tiller, both 
Si and Ike uttered sudden yells of terro** 

Don't run us down ! " 

“Keep off! We’ll steer out of the way!” 

And then, of a sudden, the motor boat was swung 
around and moved quickly out into the deeper 
waters of Pine Lake. The sloop followed. 

“ Say, that was a narrow escape ! ” murmured 
Harry, as the stern of the Sprite scraped on the 
sand of the shallows. “ Another minute and they 
would have run us aground.” 

“ No — I would have shoved them away first,” 
answered Paul. “ They were so close I think I 
could have done it without hurting them, — outside 
of scraping off some paint. But it was what I call 
a dirty trick,” he added bitterly. 

Out in deep water the motor boat had come to a 
stop, the engine suddenly refusing to work. The 
Sprite came up close once again. 

“ You try that again. Si Voup, and I’ll give you 
something you won’t like,” said Paul wrath fully. 

“ Say, do you know what you did ? ” demanded 
the rich bully. “ You put my engine out of com- 
mission.” 

“ If I did, it serves you right.” 

“ You’ll pay for it.” 

“ Not a cent.” 


138 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“ I don’t see how it was Paul’s fault,” said 
Harry. 

‘‘ You made me turn off the power too quick.” 

You had warning enough to get out of the 
way.” 

‘‘ I don’t care — ^you are to blame.” 

Say, Si, you make a fellow tired in the bones,” 
called Matt. Why don’t you pack your trunk and 
move to some other neighborhood? I think the 
folks of Lakeport would give as much as fifty cents 
to have you leave,” and he said this so soberly that 
his chums had to smile. 

Don’t you talk that way to me, Matt Roscoe,” 
flared back the rich bully. Some day when I 
catch you I’ll fix you for it ! I’ve got as much right 
to sail on this lake as anybody, — and you fellows 
have got to pay for this broken engine.” 

“Can’t you start her up at all?” asked Ike 
Boardman, in a low voice, as the Sprite drew away 
from the spot. 

“ No, she’s completely busted,” was Si’s answer. 

“ Then make them tow us home.” 

“I will.” The rich bully raised his voice. 
“ Hi, you 1 Come back here ! ” he yelled. “ We 
can’t move, and I want you to tow us back to 
Lakeport.” 

“ Not to-day! ” called Paul, in return. 


PRACTICE AND A SAIL 139 

‘‘ Get out and walk/^ suggested Matt humor- 
ously. 

“ Serves you right if the boat won’t run,” added 
Harry. “ Take a paddle and paddle back.” 

And then the Sprite continued on her course up 
the lake. 


CHAPTER XIV 


A BITTER DEFEAT 

Paulas errand up the lake was soon finished, and 
then the four lads sailed down the sheet of water in 
the direction of Lakeport. They had to take some 
long tacks, so their progress was not nearly so rapid 
as it had been before. 

‘‘ That is where the advantage of a motor boat 
comes in,” said Harry. You can move against the 
wind almost as well as with it.” 

By the way, I don’t see anything of Si’s craft,” 
remarked Andy. “ They must have paddled their 
way in as we told ’em.” 

Another tack took them quite close to shore, and 
Matt gave a shout. 

“ Look there ! ” 

He pointed to a low-lying island, covered with 
long grass. In the grass and mud at the lower end 
was a motor boat, deserted, and rocking idly to and 
fro. 

Must be Si’s boat,” observed Paul. “ But if so, 
where did he and Ike go ? ” 

140 


A BITTEE DEFEAT 


141 


They might have waded ashore. You can do it 
from the inner side of the island,” answered Harry. 

Not much ! ” exclaimed Matt. “ I tried that 
once, and got in the mud up to my knees.” 

Do you think they tried it, and sunk out of 
sight ? ” queried Andy anxiously. 

All of the boys were anxious to have the mystery 
of the abandoned motor boat explained, and Paul 
ran the Sprite as close as he dared. As he did this, 
the swell from the sloop caused the other craft to 
rock and turn, and then, caught by the wind, the 
motor boat commenced to drift out into the lake. 

Why, it isn’t tied ! ” cried Harry, in astonish- 
ment. ‘‘ How careless ! ” 

.‘‘Si! Si Voup!” yelled Harry. “Where are 
you?” 

No answer came back to this call, and then the 
others tested the power of their lungs. But only 
the call of some birds in the woods lining that sec- 
tion of the lake shore answered them. 

“ I must confess, I don’t like the looks of this,” 
said Paul. “ I can’t understand how they’d go off 
and not tie up the boat.” 

“ Well, we might as well take her in tow and 
down to Lakeport,” said Andy. “ There is no use 
in letting her drift around the lake. Some other 
craft might strike her in the dark.” 


142 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


They ran alongside, and Matt leaped into the 
motor boat, and then a line was attached to the bow 
of the smaller craft. Once again the Sprite went 
on her course, towing the other craft behind her. 
In this fashion Lakeport was reached about dark, 
and the boys tied up both boats to the dock and 
hurried home for supper. There was some talk of 
notifying the Voup and Boardman families of the 
finding of the motor boat, but none of the lads 
wanted the task. 

“ You’ll get no thanks,” said Harry. “ You’ll 
probably be told that it was none of your business 
and that you ought to have left the boat alone.” 

In the morning the boys were so full of school 
matters — there was a test on — they forgot all about 
the motor boat and Si and Ike. But in the after- 
noon Harry received a shock from being told that 
Si and Ike had been brought home by a farmer liv- 
ing up the lake shore and that both lads were now 
in bed, seriously sick. 

A fellow told me the doctor said Si might die,” 
added the youth who vouchsafed this information. 

‘‘But what happened to them?” demanded 
Harry. 

“ I don’t know any of the particulars. Ike— he 
isn t as bad off as Si — said something about being 
struck down near the shore road.” 


A BITTER DEFEAT 


143 


Harry was on his way home. Arriving there he 
sought out his brother, who had preceded him. To 
Joe he told of the happenings of the afternoon be- 
fore and of the news about Si and Ike. 

“ Better let the Voups and Boardmans know 
about the motor boat,’’ advised Joe, and a little later, 
Harry, in company with Paul and Matt, walked to 
the Voup mansion. Of the servant who answered 
their knock at the door they asked if Mr. Voup was 
in. 

“ He is — he’s been home all the afternoon, tend- 
ing to poor Si.” 

How is Si?” asked Harry. 

“ Very sick, and out of his mind.” 

The boys had to wait nearly a quarter of an hour 
before Si’s father appeared. Mr. Voup was a small 
man, with a decidedly nervous air. He was easily 
angered, and quite as unreasonable at times as 
his offspring. Just now his face showed great 
anxiety. 

“ Well, what do you boys want? ” he demanded, 
with a scowl at Harry. 

‘‘ We came to tell you about Si^s motor boat,” 
answered Paul. 

“ What of it?” 

‘‘We were out in the Sprite yesterday afternoon, 
and about supper time we found it drifting around. 


144 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


and brought it back to Carson’s dock.” And Paul 
gave some of the particulars. 

“ Did you see Si and Ike in the motor boat before 
that?” demanded Mr. Voup. 

Yes.” 

Where?’’ 

Up at Dodd’s Island. I might as well tell you, 
Mr. Voup, that we had some words with Si and Ike. 
They got in our way, and almost made me run the 
sloop ashore.” 

“Tut! tut! You boys are forever finding fault 
with my son. Did you — you have any — blows ? ” 

“ Oh, no ! But I told Si that if he didn’t get out 
of my way I’d run him down, and then he got out in 
a hurry. He must have done something wrong to 
the engine,* for right after that the motor boat broke 
down and he said it wouldn’t run any more. He 
wanted us to tow him home, but I couldn’t do that, 
because I had to go up the lake on an errand.” 

“Hum! I’ll have to look into this,” mused the 
rich man. His small eyes glared suspiciously at the 
lads. “ For all I know you are responsible for my 
son’s condition, and the condition of his friend, 
Isaac Boardman.” 

“ We had nothing to do with that,” put in Matt. 

“ I know you boys of old — you are all down on 
my poor son and ready to do anything to harm him. 


A BITTEE DEFEAT 145 


I shall look into this matter very carefully, and if I 
find you have been guilty, I shall see to it that you 
are punished.” 

We are not guilty,” said Harry, and then he and 
his chums took their departure without another 
word. Mr. Voup looked after them thoughtfully. 
Then he went back to Si’s bedroom, talked for a few 
minutes with his wife, and went out to interview 
Mr. and Mrs. Boardman. 

That night a report circulated throughout Lake- 
port that both Si and Ike were worse, and Harry 
and the others were, consequently, more worried 
than ever. . Harry told his folks of what had hap- 
pened, and Mr. Westmore questioned him closely, 
and, late as it was, walked out to see Paul and Matt. 
Each boy told the same tale, so Mr. Westmore came 
to the conclusion that it must be absolutely true. 

“ But I am sorry for this,” he said to his son. 
“You know what Mr. Voup and Mr. Boardman 
tried to do before. They will blame you and the 
other lads if they possibly can.” 

“ Anyway, I hope Si and Ike get well,” said 
Harry, and he had to shiver in spite of himself. 

He had small inclination to practice for the com- 
ing football game with Barton Park, and this feeling 
was shared by the others who had been on the trip 
up the lake. All felt that trouble was brewing, and 


146 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


consequently could not get their minds down to 
what Carl Bellman was trying to teach them. 

The Barton Park boys were mostly rich, and their 
outfit was of the best. The game was played on 
their grounds, with its elegant grand-stand gayly 
decorated with flags. The place was crowded, 
about a hundred people from Lakeport being pres- 
ent. 

“ Do your best, fellows ! cried Joe, when they 
ran out on the gridiron for practice. 

A strong wind was blowing from the west. Lake- 
port won the toss, and took the goal on the wind 
side, leaving their opponents the ball. Barton Park 
made a splendid kick-off and followed this up by 
some clever playing that speedily took the pigskin 
down into Lakeport’s territory in spite of the wind. 
But then came a fine run of twenty-five yards by 
Paul, which placed the ball again close to the center 
of the gridiron. Then followed several scrimmages 
and downs that gave neither side much advantage. 

‘‘ Hot work, and nothing doing,'' grumbled Link. 
But half a minute later he got the ball, passed it to 
Walter, who turned it over to Joe, and the quarter- 
back ran fifteen yards. Then by sheer will-force 
the pigskin was gotten up close to the posts, and, 
watching his chance, Harry, aided by the fierce gust 
of wind that arose, kicked a goal from the field. 


A BITTER DEFEAT 


147 


“ Hurrah ! hurrah ! A field goal for Lakeport ! ” 

“ That’s the way to do it ! ” 

As soon as possible the leather was again placed 
in play, but before much could be done the whistle 
sounded, and the first half was a thing of the past. 

With four points against them. Barton Park re- 
solved to play more skillfully than ever. Hardly had 
the ball gotten in play in the second half when it 
was rushed around the left end, and then after 
making a long gain through the line, the quarter- 
back, on a fake rush, made a long pass down the 
field, where it was caught by a right tackle and hur- 
ried forward. This proved a confusing trick to the 
Lakeport boys, and in trying to head off the runner 
they got into a temporary tangle. Almost before 
they knew it the pigskin was over the line. 

“A touchdown for Barton Park ! ” came the yell, 
and then arose a fearful din of horns and rattles. 

The wind was now coming across the field, making 
a try at goal difficult. The Barton Park quarter- 
back waited for a lull as long as he dared and then 
made the kick. But he failed, leaving the score 5 
to 4. 

“ Come, boys, we’ve got to overcome that lead,” 
said Joe. “ Now then, all together.” 

Fred had been slightly hurt, and his place was 
filled by Teddy Dugan, who was on the spot, ready 


148 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


to substitute. Teddy had not had much practice, 
but he was strong and quick, which counted for con- 
siderable. But in his anxiety he once played “ off- 
side,” and had to be warned not to repeat the of- 
fense. 

The rest of the second half was a battle royal on 
the part of Barton Park. They played with the 
quickness of cats and daring of lions, and it was 
impossible for Lakeport to stop them. Five minutes 
after the touchdown had been made they scored a 
goal from the field. 

‘‘ That’s the way to do it ! ” 

‘‘ Keep it up, boys ! Show Lakeport how to play 
football ! ” 

I — I guess we are up against it,” groaned Link. 

Gracious, how they do pitch in ! ” 

We’ve got to win ! Come on ! ” cried Joe, game 
to the last. 

But Barton Park was now in its element. Its 
lead urged it on to greater deeds and soon it had 
another touchdown to its credit. The goal was 
kicked successfully. Then, just two minutes before 
the end of the second half, they got the ball close to 
Lakeport’s line once more, and Walter had to carry 
it over for a safety — ^giving their opponents two 
points more. 

Final score. Barton Park 17, Lakeport 4. 


A BITTER DEFEAT 


149 


The Barton Park rooters went mad with joy, and 
their plucky quarter-back, who had brought in the 
touchdown and kick, was hoisted up on the shoulders 
of his admirers. As for the Lakeport boys, they 
soon retired, and in a somewhat sad frame of mind 
went down to their boats and returned home. 

“ I wonder how the game between Bralham and 
Brookside came out ? ’’ asked one. 

‘‘ We’ll soon learn,” said Link, and the news came 
in an hour later. Brookside had come out ahead, 
by a score of 24 to o. 

“ Just think of that ! ” groaned Matt. And 
we’ve got to tackle Brookside next I ” 

“ It looks as if our cake was dough,” was Fred’s 
comment. 

Well, this places Brookside in the lead,” was 
Paul’s comment. ‘‘ And we are tied with Barton 
Park for second place.” 

Never mind,” said Frank consolingly. Think 
of poor Bralham with nothing but goose eggs to its 
credit.” 

“ That’s no consolation for me,” declared Joe, 
who felt the defeat keenly. “ Lakeport has got to 
win that pennant or bust! Boys, we have got to 
take a brace next week, and don’t you forget it.” 

That’s the talk I Never say die ! ” cried Andy. 

Perhaps it — it was my fault,” said Henry Han- 


150 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


cock. He had hardly spoken since leaving the foot- 
ball field. 

No more your fault than mine/' answered the 
captain of the football eleven quickly. We’ve all 
got to do some more practicing, that’s all.” 


CHAPTER XV 


HUNTING FOR DAN MARCY 

The Westmore boys did not have much time to 
think of the defeat at the hands of Barton Park, or 
of the trouble for Harry with the Voups and Board- 
mans, for on Sunday afternoon Laura, who had 
been out walking with two girl friends, came home 
in a state of wild excitement. Rushing into the 
house she ran at once to her mother and burst into 
tears. 

Why, Laura, what is it ? cried Mrs. Westmore, 
in alarm. What has happened ? 

“ Oh, mo — mother ! sobbed the girl, and for the 
moment that was all she could say. 

Are you hurt? What scared you? ’’ asked Joe, 
who was present. 

‘‘ Oh ! gasped his sister, and then she tore off 
her straw hat and let fall her heavy hair. Look ! 
Oh, isn't it awful ! " 

Mrs. Westmore and Joe gave a look, and hearing 
the loud talking Mr. Westmore and Harry came in 
from the next room. All gazed at Laura's hair — 
161 


152 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

or what was left of it. On one side of her head 
several heavy tresses were missing, — cut off within 
a few inches of the scalp. 

“Laura!’' ejaculated her mother in horror. 
“ How did it happen ? ” 

“ Da — Dan Marcy did it I ” 

“ Marcy I ” exclaimed Mr. Westmore and his sons 
simultaneously. 

“ Yes.” 

“ How did he come to do it? ” asked Mr. West- 
more, and his face took on a stern look. 

“ I was out walking with Jennie Jackson and we 
went past the Corsen place. There Violet joined 
us, and the three of us went up on the Brookside 
road. It was so pleasant that we walked almost to 
the old Preter cottage. All at once Dan Marcy 
came rushing out of the woods at us. We were so 
frightened we didn’t know what to do. First he 
ran towards Violet, but then he turned to me. 

“ ‘ What are you doing up here, Laura West- 
more?’ he asked, and then, before I could answer, 
he went on : ‘ I’ll give you something to remember 
me by I ’ and with that he pulled a big knife from 
his pocket, caught hold of my hair, and cut off that 
bunch. ‘ I’m going to fix your whole family some 
day I ’ he said. Then I screamed and so did Violet 
and Jennie, and that brought old Mrs. Preter to her 


HUNTING FOE DAN MAECY 153 

door. She began to scream too, and then Marcy 
ran back into the woods and out of sight.” 

“ The rascal ! ” cried Joe. “ Oh, father, let us go 
after him at once ! 

“We will/' responded Mr. Westmore. 

When Mr. Westmore and the boys got out into 
the street leading to the Brookside road they found 
that, through Violet and Jennie, the news had spread. 
A dozen men and boys were ready to join in the 
search for Dan Marcy. In the crowd was Mr. Jack- 
son, and, later on, Munroe Corsen also appeared. 
Link went along with Joe and Harry, and so did 
Matt. 

“ I think I can explain this," said Munroe Cor- 
sen. “ Dan Marcy thinks he is now no more than 
an outcast — that nobody in Lakeport wants any- 
thing to do with him. He knows that you, Mr. 
Westmore, and your sons were largely instrumental 
in bringing him to justice, consequently he is now 
acting in a spirit of revenge." 

“ Well, he ought to be locked up," answered Mr. 
Westmore. “If not, there is no telling what he will 
do next." 

Laura and her girl friends had taken their walk 
in the middle of the afternoon, so it was growing 
dark when the spot where the attack had been made 
was gained by Mr. Westmore and the others. 


154 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


From Mrs. Preter they learned where Dan Marcy 
had disappeared into the woods. 

Let us spread out in a long line, and move di- 
rectly into the woods,'’ suggested Munroe Corsen. 
‘‘ Then, if he is anywhere near, we’ll be bound to 
stir him up.” 

I move we get clubs,” suggested Joe, and cut 
himself a stout stick, and a number of others did the 
same. Mr. Jackson had a pistol, and said he would 
use it if Marcy were found and showed any signs of 
resistance. 

‘‘ I’ll teach him that he can’t scare my girl,” he 
said, ‘‘ let alone cut off Laura’s hair.” 

The party entered the woods, and with caution 
advanced a distance of a quarter of a mile or more. 
In some wet places they saw footprints, but whether 
made by Dan Marcy or not they could not tell. 

It’s too bad it is growing dark,” said Joe. As 
soon as the sun goes down he’ll be able to hide from 
us with ease.” 

“ Well, we can come out again Monday — if father 
will let us,” answered his brother. 

The search for the wrongdoer proved unavailing, 
and two hours later the men and boys returned to 
Lakeport. The attack had made Laura so nervous 
that her mother had sent the girl to bed and called 
in the doctor to give her a soothing potion. 


HUNTING FOR DAN MARCY 155 


Mr. Westmore was quite willing to allow Joe and 
Harry to continue the hunt for Dan Marcy on Mon- 
day, provided they did not go alone, and as a con- 
sequence the boys persuaded Mr. Rush to allow 
Fred to remain out of school. Then, just as they 
were starting out, the chums ran across old Joel 
Runnell. 

“ What's this I hear about Laura ? " asked the old 
hunter anxiously, and when told shook his head 
determinedly. “ Ought to have his head banged 
off — thet’s wot — an' I'd like to do it ! " 

We are just starting out to look for him," an- 
swered Harry. Want to go along? " 

Sure thing, Harry. I ain't got much to do — 
just come over to get some shot cartridges fer my 
new gun. Mebbe I kin use one of them cartridges 
on Marcy ! " And Joel Runnell smiled grimly. He 
knew the fellow well, and hated him as much as 
his free and easy nature allowed him to hate any- 
body. 

With Runnell beside them, the three boys set out 
along the Brookside road at a rapid gait, and before 
long reached the spot where Dan Marcy had disap- 
peared. It was a cool, clear day, with the sun shin- 
ing brightly, so they could see for a considerable 
distance among the trees, especially where the latter 
did not grow too thickly. 


156 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


‘‘Of course, it is possible that Marcy has left this 
vicinity entirely,” said Joe. “ But we want to make 
sure.” 

“ He must have some sort of a hang-out around 
here,” answered Joel Runnell. “ For he has been 
here since he robbed the Preters.” 

“ That’s so,” returned Fred. 

The little party moved through the woods silently 
after that — the old hunter cautioning them not to 
make any noise that might reach Marcy’s ears. 
They passed over the ground covered the day pre- 
vious, and then commenced to ascend a slight hill, 
the top of which was covered with rocks and a 
growth of dwarf pines. 

“ I may be mistook, but I kinder think he’s around 
them rocks,” whispered Joel Runnell, as the little 
party paused on the hillside to rest. “ There may 
be some kind o’ a cave there, ye know, an’ if there 
is, he’ll natchally crawl into it.” 

Once again they went forward, this time with 
increased caution. Then Fred stepped on a loose 
stone and sent it rolling downward, against a tree, 
making considerable noise. 

“ Ough ! ” he gasped. 

“What’s the trouble, Fred? ” asked Joe. 

“ That kind of turned my ankle,” and Fred drew 
a sharp breath. 


HUNTING FOR DAN MARCY 157 

“You didn’t sprain it, did you?” questioned 
Harry sympathetically. 

“ I — I guess not. But it gave it a pretty bad 
turn,” said Fred, and he moved on at a limp. 

Reaching the first line of rocks, the boys and the 
old hunter gazed around curiously. The latter 
pointed to something white lying under a pine tree. 

“ A newspaper,” said Joe, and picked it up. 
“ It’s one of last Saturday ! ” he went on. 

“ I reckon we are on the right trail,” said Joel 
Runnell. “ Come on, quick ! Maybe we can catch 
him on the jump ! ” 

All ran up on the rocks and Harry gave a sudden 
yell. The call echoed through the woods, and fol- 
lowing it, all heard the sound of a man’s feet clat- 
tering on the rocks further ahead. 

“ We’ve smoked him out! ” shouted Joel Runnell 
gleefully. “ Come on after him ! ” And away he 
plunged, his shotgun in his hand, ready for use. 

“ You fellers keep back I ” all heard suddenly, in 
Dan Marcy’s voice. “You keep back, or you’ll 
have your heads blown off I ” 

“ Marcy, stop ! ” yelled Joe. “ Stop, if you don’t 
want to get shot ! ” 

“ Nobody ain’t going to shoot me ! ” answered the 
burly bully, and went clattering over the rocks and 
into the woods on the other side of the hill. 


158 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Nothing daunted, the others kept after the fellow. 
They occasionally caught glimpses of the rascal, but 
these were so short that Joel Runnell had no time to 
aim at him even if he had been of a mind to fire, 
which was doubtful. Even Joe’s threat to shoot had 
been made more with the idea of scaring Marcy than 
anything else. 

I think we’ll get him sooner or later,” said 
Runnell. “ This woods comes to an end a little fur- 
ther on, — at Balcomb’s meadow. Unless he runs to 
the north or south he’ll come right out in the open.” 

Let us spread out a little more,” suggested Joe. 
** That will help to make him keep straight ahead.” 

At the edge of the meadow they had to cross a 
deep brook. They had last seen Marcy at this 
watercourse, but he was not now in sight. 

Maybe he’s hiding in the water,” suggested 
Fred. “ But it would be a mighty cold bath in this 
weather! ” 

‘‘ There he goes ! ” yelled Harry, and pointed 
northward. Sure enough, Dan Marcy was in sight, 
running through the tall grass toward a herd of 
cows. In another moment he was among the cows, 
and he kept the animals between himself and his 
pursuers while he continued his flight. 

“ Stop ! ” yelled the boys in concert, but the 
fugitive paid no attention to their command. 



“ We’ve smoked him out ! ” shouted Joed E-un^nell, glee 

FULLY. — Page 157. 





HUNTING FOR DAN MARCY 159 


“ Thet’s a neat trick/’ was Joel Runnel! s com- 
ment. ‘‘ He knows it won’t do us no good to fire 
at him — we’d only kill one of them cows ! ” 

The old hunter was right, and Marcy continued to 
keep the animals between himself and his pursuers 
until he gained another patch of woods. Here he 
had to climb a barbed-wire fence and he got much 
tangled up. 

'' He’s caught ! ” cried Harry. '' Hurry up, we 
can nab him now ! ” 

But this was not to be, for long before they 
reached the spot Dan Marcy had freed himself and 
gone on. But he had left a section of his coat be- 
hind, including a side pocket. 

“ He’ll want some new clothes soon,” said Joe. 

He may — well, I declare ! ” 

Joe stopped short. From the pocket of the cloth 
clinging to the barbed-wire fence stuck some strands 
of hair. The lad pulled them out. 

“ Laura’s hair ! ” exclaimed Harry. “ That’s 
proof positive against Marcy. ' Let us take it home. 
She’ll be glad to know he wasn’t allowed to keep 
what he cut off.” And Harry transferred the thick 
tresses to his own pocket. 

‘‘ Here are some other things in the pocket,” said 
Fred, turning what was on the fence inside out. A 
silver spoon and an old watch ! ” 


160 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“ I wager those things belong to the Preters ! ’’ 
cried Joe. “ She said Marcy took Mr. Preter’s 
watch.” 

‘‘ Come on — if you want to catch Marcy,” urged 
Joel Runnell. Put the watch and spoon in your 
pocket.” And this advice was immediately acted 
upon. 

They were now reaching a neighborhood where 
an arm of the lake extended inland for quite some 
distance. The place was known as Horseshoe Cove, 
since the body of water was shaped a good deal like 
a horseshoe. There had once been a summer resort 
at the Cove, but this had been abandoned some years 
before, because it did not pay. There had been a 
hotel, two stories in height, but a good portion of 
this had been carted away for the lumber. Yet one 
end of the building was still standing, the windows 
broken out and the door flapping idly in the wind. 

I wonder if he went in there? ” mused Joe, as 
they came in sight of the ruin. 

We can soon find out,” answered Fred. 

Go slow ! ” cautioned Joel Runnell. '' If he's in 
there he may play some trick on us.” 

“ ril be careful,” answered the stout youth, and 
then he hurried into the old hotel, and the others 
followed. 


CHAPTER XVI 


THE COACH AND THE QUARTER-BACK 

The hotel at Horseshoe Cove had originally con- 
sisted of a main building with a long wing. The 
most of the main building was gone, but the wing 
remained, along with a smaller addition, which had 
contained the kitchen. 

Pushing open a door that hung on but one hinge, 
the boys and the old hunter found themselves in a 
hallway damp and unwholesome, and covered with 
dirt and cobwebs. On one side were doorways that 
had originally led to the main building, but which 
were now blocked by fallen mortar and plaster, and 
broken bricks. On the other side, two doors led to 
the dining room and the kitchen. 

They passed into the dining room, and Joe gazed 
into the kitchen, with its wreck of a great chimney, 
thrown down the summer before by a high wind. 

He’s not here,” said Harry, after a look into 
several pantries. “ Wonder if he is upstairs?” 

We might as well make sure — while we are 
here,” answered his brother. 

161 


162 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Going out into the hallway again they started 
to mount the rather shaky stairs. Harry was in 
the lead, with the others in a bunch behind him. 

Perhaps he ” began Joe, when a sudden 

noise from overhead startled the entire party. The 
»next moment down came a great mass of plaster, 
bricks, and dirt upon them, knocking them from 
their feet and sending them to the bottom of the 
stairs in a heap. Some of the fine plaster got into 
their eyes, and for the time being they were almost 
blinded. 

That’s what you get for following me ! ” roared 
a voice from above, and then they heard hurried 
footsteps, as Dan Marcy left for some other part 
of the building. 

Harry had come down on top of the others, and 
poor Fred lay at the bottom of the heap. The dust, 
plaster, and bricks were everywhere, and Joe was 
groaning dismally. 

“I’m cho — choking!” gasped Fred. “Get up 
an — and gi — give m — ^me air 1 ” 

“ Oh, my head I ” came from Joe. A brick had 
struck him just above the left ear, all but knocking 
him senseless. 

Harry scrambled up as quickly as possible, and 
Joel Runnell followed. By instinct perhaps more 
than reason the old hunter had protected the trigger 


COACH AND QUARTER-BACK 163 

of his shotgun, so that the weapon could not go 
off and add to the damage being done. He had a 
mouth full of plaster, and could not see a thing. 

There was a great coughing, spluttering, and 
rubbing of eyes when at last all were on their feet. 
Harry’s left eye had suffered most, and Joe did 
what he could to get from the optic a bit of plaster 
that had lodged there. Fred had some plaster 
down his back, inside his clothes. 

And it’s not one bit comfortable,” explained the 
stout youth. 

'' It was a regular trap,” said Joe, when he felt 
able to speak. “ Marcy must have set it for us 
while we were looking around the dining room 
and kitchen.” 

I am going after him again ! ” cried the old 
hunter, and now he mounted the stairs two steps 
at a time. His wrath was fairly kindled and he 
was in a state of mind to shoot at Marcy on sight. 

Here is what he used,” said Joe, coming after 
Runnell, and he pointed to the cover of an old 
trunk, in which still remained some dirt and plaster. 
“ He filled that, and then waited around the bend 
of the upper hall until we were directly in line to 
get the whole dose ! ” 

“Yes, and we got it!” answered Fred, doing 
his best to stop coughing. 


164 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“Never mind — ^just wait and see what he gets — 
when we catch him ! '' returned Harry, with a snap 
of his teeth. 

They ran into one room and another of the 
second floor. Soon they reached a window that 
opened upon the roof of the kitchen addition. 
Close at hand was a tree with a limb covering a 
corner of this roof. 

“That’s the way he went,” said Joel Runnell. 

See the tracks in the mud of the back yard? 
Come ! ” And he turned and rushed down the 
stairs and out into the open air. 

Viewing the tracks and following them, they 
saw that the footprints led into the woods up the 
lake shore. Here, unfortunately, the way was very 
rocky, and soon no more tracks were to be seen. 

“ Half-past eleven o’clock,” said Joe, consulting 
the watch he carried. “ It’s a pity we didn’t bring 
a lunch along.” 

“I am getting hungry,” answered Fred. “I 
won’t care to go without dinner.” 

“Let us go over to the Lamton farm,” sug- 
gested Joel Runnell. “ I know Mrs. Lamton will 
give us dinner. I’ve often done her and her 
husband a good turn.” 

The farm he mentioned was less than a quarter of 
a mile away, and after some talk it was decided to 


COACH AND QUARTS E-BACK 165 

go there for something to eat, and then continue 
the hunt for Dan Marcy in the afternoon. 

“ We’ll get him sooner or later,” said Joel Run- 
nell hopefully. “He can’t hide in these woods 
forever/' 

It was nearly noon when they reached the 
Lamton farm. Mr. Lamton knew Mr. Westmore 
and Mr. Rush well, and he readily consented to 
give all a midday meal, and said he could not think 
of taking pay for it. 

And you boys will be glad you came," Mrs. 
Lamton said, smiling. I just made some apple 
pies, and you can each have a big piece." 

“Good! That strikes me just right!" cried 
Harry. 

“Couldn’t be better!" added Fred. And Joe 
nodded his approval. 

“ Fve been wondering if that Dan Marcy hasn't 
be sneaking around here," said Isaac Lamton, dur- 
ing the progress of the meal. One night I found 
the henhouse door open, and I rather think a 
chicken was taken, although I’m not sure. An- 
other time I missed the morning eggs, and I am 
sure the milk in the can at the spring went down 
several inches.” 

“Well, he robbed the Preters — he wouldn't be 
above robbing you," answered Joe. 


166 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“ Oh, I trust you catch him ! cried Mrs. Lam- 
ton. Such a rascal as he is — to cut off Laura’s 
beautiful hair! Why, I shan’t feel safe — knowing 
he is sneaking around these parts ! ” 

Although the pie was worth lingering over, the 
party of four hastened the repast, and, having 
finished, set off once again on the hunt. 

“ You ought to have a dog,” said Isaac Lamton. 
‘‘ Just let him smell of that bit of jacket Marcy left 
on the fence, and the critter would quickly run 
the feller down — that is, if he was any good, — I 
mean the dog.” 

‘‘ Well, we haven’t any dog, so we’ll have to do 
our best without one,” answered Joe. 

‘‘ I had a dog once. But he got mad and had 
to be shot, — and sence that time the wife won’t 
have no dog around nohow,” explained the 
farmer. 

'‘Well, I ain’t going to run no risk of hydro- 
phoby,” put in Mrs. Lamton. 

Once again the boys and the old hunter took 
their way to the woods, and for over three hours 
they looked for further traces of Dan Marcy. 
But the rascal had evidently put a safe distance 
between himself and his pursuers, or else was 
“ lying low,” for nothing more was seen or heard 
of him. 


COACH AND QUAETER-BACK 167 

We may as well go home,” said Joe when the 
sun was well down in the west. 

I am willing/’ answered Fred. He was thor- 
oughly tired out from the long walk and the climb- 
ing over the rocks. 

‘‘ Well, I dunno but what I’ll go home too,'’ 
said Joel Runnell. He turned to Joe. “ I heard 
somebody say you was going to play the Brookside 
football club next Saturday.” 

“ We are.” 

“ Vm cornin’ over, an' bring Cora. If ye want 
anything to limber ye up mightily, I’ll bring over 
a bottle o' snake oil. Best thing you ever see for 
limberin' the j’ints,” added the old hunter with a 
wise shake of his head. 

Well, we’ll want to limber up — to play Brook- 
side,” said Joe with a little smile. 

Got a good team, have they? ” 

“ The best in our League, I’m afraid.” 

“ Oh, they can't beat you fellers, an' I know it. 
You go in to win, — an' ye will win, see if you 
don’t ! ” And with these cheery words the old 
hunter left his young friends. 

The report concerning the doings of Dan Marcy 
had spread, and now came in word that several 
farmers of the vicinity had suffered various depre- 
dations. Some had lost chickens, eggs, and milk. 


168 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


one had lost a pistol, another a horse blanket, and 
a farmer living along the lake front had been minus 
a flat-bottom boat for two weeks. It was generally 
believed that Dan Marcy was responsible for all 
the trouble, since no tramps had been seen in the 
neighborhood for a month or more. 

Mr. Bellman had sent a note to Joe stating he 
wished to see the quarter-back of the team alone, 
and on Wednesday afternoon, after school, Joe 
presented himself to the coach at his place of 
business. He was half afraid that the coach was 
going to resign his position, but a smile from the 
chemist reassured him. 

‘‘ This afternoon I want you to practice all 
by yourself, under my directions,'’ said Mr. 
Bellman. ‘‘ I’ll put on a sweater and do a bit 
myself.” 

Side by side the pair walked to a small field which 
was deserted. On the way the coach did a good 
deal of talking. 

Now, Joe,” he began, “ we’ve got to get 
right down to business — if Lakeport wants to win. 
You are not only the quarter-back — and I count 
the quarter-back the most important man on the 
eleven — but you are also captain — and therefore the 
rest look to you to see them through, no matter 
how the game is going. Now, in the first place, 


COACH AND QUAETER-BACK 169 

I want to try you on the signals. Answer me 
rapidly.” 

And then the coach tried one signal after the 
other, and the young captain gave the answers. 
Then Carl Bellman reversed the process by calling 
out what he wanted done, and Joe gave the neces- 
sary numbers. Once the boy made a mistake 
and the coach stopped him short — showing how 
accurately he himself had the signals in mind. 

“ Now, there is another point I want you to re- 
member,” went on Mr. Bellman. “As soon as 
you have played for five or ten minutes try your 
best to size up the other team — that is, find out 
its weak spot if it has any — and find out its strong- 
est point — and then play first and last against them 
both, against the weak spot for offense and against 
the strong spot for defense. Do you understand 
that?” 

“ I think I do, sir.’^ 

“ Then the next point is this : Always remember 
which of your men played hardest last, and if 
possible in the next move, give them a little rest 
and use the others. If you use one set of players 
continually you’ll exhaust them, and that will count 
against the whole eleven. And don’t use yourself 
up too quickly, either. Remember, that the two 
halves last seventy minutes, — quite enough for a 


170 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


fellow who is too active to become completely 
exhausted.’’ 

‘‘ I’ll try to remember that, too.” 

‘‘ When you call a signal always do it in a dis- 
tinct voice, so that all of your players can hear. 
If you make a mistake, say, '' New shift/ and repeat 
the signal correctly. If you want a certain play 
followed by another play, and perhaps a third, all 
in rapid succession, say, On the job, boys! ’ and 
then give each signal, pausing a little between the 
numbers.” 

When they reached the field Carl Bellman got 
down to work with Joe, and over an hour was 
spent in handling the pigskin in numerous ways. 
The young quarter-back was instructed in the best 
methods of passing, of handling punts, and of punt- 
ing and drop-kicking. Then they went through a 
series of tackles and of interferences, and both 
worked themselves into a perspiration. 

‘‘ Now, I think you have learned enough for 
to-day,” observed the coach as they walked home. 

‘‘ I certainly know a great deal more than I did 
before,” said Joe. Some of those methods of 
passing the ball are all right ! ” he added enthusi- 
astically. 

You will find them of use in the coming game 
with Brookside,” said the coach. “ From what I 


COACH AND QUAETEE-BACK 171 

have heard of the eleven, they play a more scientific 
game than any other club in the League. As they 
are pretty big fellows, you can’t hope to rush them, 
— and so you’ll have to beat them at their 
game — if you beat them at all.” 


own 


CHAPTER XVII 


A CHAPTER OF DISASTERS 

Now, fellows, show ’em what you can do! ” 
Don t be afraid of ’em! Go right at ’em 
from the start I ” 

“You’ve got to win this game if you want to 
win the League Pennant ! ” 

Such were some of the cries that rang out on 
the football field at Brookside as the Lakeport eleven 
appeared on the gridiron. The club had brought 
with it over a hundred rooters, as well as a number 
of others who were more or less interested in the 
game to be played. 

A light rain had fallen in the morning, leaving 
the ground wet and slippery. The downpour had 
lasted until nearly noon and many had thought the 
contest would have to be postponed. But now the 
sun was out once more, and it was decided to play, 
despite the condition of the field. 

“ It will surely spoil our suits,” said Link, who 
prided himself on his neat appearance. “ But I 
guess that can’t be helped.” 

172 


A CHAPTER OF DISASTERS 173 

We can have the suits cleaned,” returned Paul. 
“I don’t care what happens to mine if only we 
win.” 

“ That’s the talk ! ” cried Harry. Let us win, 
even if the suits are ruined! ” 

‘‘We’ve simply got to win!” came from his 
brother. Joe looked at the players surrounding 
him. Mr. Bellman expects us to win,” he went 
on earnestly. He has done his best for us. If 
we don’t win some folks will be mean enough to say 
it was the fault of the coach.” 

“ We’ll win or bust a button ! ” sang out Matt, 
and, to show his agility, turned a handspring on 
the sward. Then the eleven ran out on the field 
for practice. 

There was “blood in the air,” as football 
“ cranks ” could readily see. Its two victories in 
the past had made Brookside anxious for another, 
and each player on the eleven was determined to 
humble Lakeport no matter what the cost. 

“ We’ve got to do it — to even up our defeats 
at baseball and on the water ! ” said George Dixon, 
who was quarter-back and also captain of the 
eleven. 

“ Right you are,” answered Roy Willetts. 

“ Watch every chance, fellows ! Don’t let anything 
slip you ! ” 


i74 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

There could be no question but that the Brook- 
side boys were in superb condition. Each was 
a strong, healthy lad, of good weight, and their 
coach knew exactly how to handle them so that 
they might do their best. And what was of equal 
if not greater importance, they had been in training 
longer than any other club in the League. 

“ Captains forward for .the toss ! ” was the cry, 
and Joe and George Dixon came to the center of 
the field. George won the toss and took the ball, 
and Joe chose the east goal, since what breeze was 
blowing came from that quarter. 

A cheer was given, and then the crowd became 
silent as the ball was put into play. A1 Lemming 
did the kicking-off for Brookside, and sent the 
pigskin fifteen yards into Lakeport territory. He 
sent it to the extreme left, having signaled through 
the captain that such would be the play. 

The Lakeport forwards were on the alert, and 
Andy Carr caught the ball, and aided by Link and 
Fred Rush, went in for a run. They gained five 
yards before they struck the Brookside forwards, 
and by a skillful dodge Andy gained another five 
yards before he was brought to earth. 

Hurrah ! that’s the way to do it I ” 

“ Lakeport ball ! ” 'cried the referee, 
down and ten yards to gain ! ” 


First 


A CHAPTER OF DISASTERS 175 

“ Steady, boys ! cried Joe, and then gave the 
signal. As quick as a flash the ball was passed 
to Fred Rush and he lunged ahead, with Harry 
and Link upon either side of him. Before they 
could be stopped the stout youth had gained four 
yards. 

“ Lakeport ball ! cried the referee. He looked 
at the lineman. “ Second down and six yards to 
gain ! '' 

“ Hurrah ! shouted the Lakeport supporters. 
‘‘ Keep it up ! 

Again the lines formed, and this time Joe gave 
the signal for the ball to be passed to Harry. 
With a crash the younger Westmore boy went for- 
ward. He came close to losing the ball, but fell 
upon it safely. 

Lakeport ball,'' sang out the referee. “ Third 
down and four yards to gain ! " 

“ Push ahead ! " was the yell from the grand- 
stand. ‘‘ Don't let 'em get the ball ! " 

Joe concluded to “take a chance," and instead 
of kicking now signaled to pass the ball to Bart 
Mason, the heaviest lad on the eleven. The full- 
back was on the alert, and made a rush to the right 
and then plunged through the opposing tackle for 
seven yards. 

“ That's the way to do it ! Hurrah for Lake- 


176 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


port ! ” And rattles sounded out wildly, while 
banners waved. 

Once more the lines formed, and again Lakeport 
went forward for another four yards. It was hard 
work, for every foot of advance was stubbornly 
contested. But then came a reverse, and Joe’s team 
lost the pigskin. At once the Brookside captain 
called two of his players aside. 

“ Look out for a trick ! ” cautioned Joe to his 
men. Eyes open now ! ” 

It was well he said this, for the Brookside player 
passed the ball to the left and then it came to the 
right, and was caught up for a run around the end. 
But this did not work, for the ground was too 
slippery. Crash! two players came together, and 
several landed on top. It was a rough coming- 
together although not intended to be so. 

‘‘Oh, my side!” groaned Fred when he tried 
to get up. He had been at the bottom of the heap. 

“What’s the matter?’' queried Joe solicitously. 
“ Ribs broken? ” 

“ I — I don’t think so, but — oh, what a pain ! ” 
and the stout youth groaned again. 

In the meantime the Brookside left guard had 
gotten up and was limping around. 

“ Strained my ankle when I slipped,” he an- 
nounced. He snapped his teeth together to keep 


A CHAPTEE OF DISASTERS 177 

from crying out. ‘‘ Guess I'm "out of it," he 
added, and had to be assisted from the field. 

One minute more ! " sang out the referee, who 
held his watch in his hand counting the time off. 
Fred, can you go on, do you think? " asked Joe. 

“ Fd like to, bu — but I — I " 

Don’t do it if you don’t feel able.’’ 

My side hurts so I can’t stand up straight. 
Better put in one of the others! ’’ And then Fred 
was led away. 

As there was no time to spare — ^the limit for 
injured players being about up — ^Joe called to Teddy 
Dugan, who was on hand to substitute, along with 
Kyle Fenton and Charley Doolittle. A substitute 
for Brookside also trotted out, and the game was 
resumed — fifteen minutes having passed without 
either side scoring. 

“ Too bad we lost Fred,’’ sighed Harry. Teddy 
is good, but not as good as he might be.’’ Which 
was true. The Brookside substitute, as it happened, 
was really a better player than the youth who had 
been injured. 

The play for the next ten minutes was ragged. 
Once the ball came down well into Lakeport terri- 
tory, and it looked as if Brookside might kick a 
goal from the field or score a touchdown, but by 
hard work the Lakeport lads drove the pigskin back 


178 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


until it rested on the twenty-yard line of their oppo- 
nents. Then Matt Roscoe got the ball, turned it 
over to Joe, and quick as a flash the quarter-back 
kicked a clean goal from the field. 

“ Hurrah ! hurrah ! hurrah ! ” 

A field goal for Lakeport ! ’’ 

That’s the way to do it ! ” 

‘‘ Five minutes more to play ! Go in for a touch- 
down ! ” 

Once again the pigskin was put into play, and 
now the struggle became more fierce than ever. 
Joe was afraid the Brookside eleven had mastered 
his signals, and told his players to Watch the end 
sharp!'' which meant, ‘'I am going to give the 
signals backward! " This evidently had some 
effect, for when the whistle sounded, bringing the 
first half of the game to an end, the ball remained 
close to the center of the field. 

Score for the first half : Lakeport, 4; Brookside, o. 
Well, that wasn’t so much, but it was some- 
thing! ” said Joe when he and his players had re- 
tired to the dressing room to talk matters over. 
‘‘ We’ll use the signals straight at the start of the 
second half,” he added. 

Well done, boys ! ” cried Carl Bellman. “ Keep 
it up and this game will be yours. You fought 
every inch of ground, and that’s the way to win.” 


A CHAPTER OF DISASTERS 179 

'‘It was splendid playing all around,” added 
Rockley White, who was present. " It is a pity 
the grounds are not in better shape. That rain 
this morning spoilt them.” 

It was found that Fred was not seriously injured, 
but he clearly could not have continued playing. 
The little Irish substitute was of course delighted to 
have the chance to get into the game, although 
sincerely sorry that Fred had been hurt. 

The second half of the game was soon on. Evi- 
dently the Brookside players had held a " sharp ” 
meeting, for every one was on the alert, taking 
advantage of every opening offered. It was ‘truly 
a battle royal, and with grim vigor the pigskin 
was kept near the center of the field, each eleven 
in turn losing the ball, because of a failure to make 
ten yards. 

"This is certainly getting to be stubborn!” re- 
marked Munroe Corsen to Rockley White. 

" They’ll break soon — they can’t keep this up,” 
was the answer of the boat club coach, and he was 
right. The break came a moment later, when the 
ball was lost by Brookside. It was passed to Henry 
Hancock, who fumbled it but got it to Joe. Like 
the wind, the quarter-back started down the field, 
several beside him. He dodged and turned, gain- 
ing ten yards and then, by another turn, ten more. 


180 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Then he was brought to earth with a thud that was 
heard clear across the field. 

‘‘ There’s a run for you ! ” was the cry. ‘‘ That’s 
the way to do it ! Keep it up, Lakeport ! ” 

“ Oh, I hope Joe isn’t hurt ! ” cried Laura, who 
sat in the grand-stand with Violet Corsen and sev- 
eral others. 

‘‘ It looked as if he’d be killed,” answered Violet, 
in a trembling voice. The rough play made her 
somewhat afraid, for she was naturally timid, as 
my old readers know. 

The interference had certainly been sharp and 
hard, and when the crowd unlocked it was seen 
that Joe did not rise. He had been rendered un- 
conscious. 

‘'You came down right on top of his head,” 
said Harry to the Brookside left end. 

I didn t mean to — I slipped,” was the answer. 

“ He certainly did slip— I saw it,” added George 
Dixon. ‘‘ I am sorry Joe got it so hard,” he added 
with genuine sympathy, for though he and Joe 
were opponents, they were yet great friends. 

Some water was brought, and the Lakeport cap- 
tain was presently revived. He had a stinging pain 
in the head and was much bewildered. He was 
taken to the dressing room, and there a doctor at- 
tended him. 


A CHAPTER OF DISASTERS 181 


“ His skull is all right/' said the physician after 
an examination. What he is suffering from is 
concussion of the brain. He’ll have to keep 
perfectly quiet for several days or a week.” 

So Joe had to retire from the game. After a 
brief discussion Paul Shale was put in his place, 
and Kyle Fenton came out to cover the right end. 
Harry was much worried over his brother, and 
wanted to leave also, but Joe told him to stick it out. 

“ Pm not dead yet,” said the injured quarter- 
back, trying to smile. ‘‘ Go in and lick ’em ! ” And 
then he turned away to hide the pain that shot 
through him. 

Once again the ball was put into play, Paul 
taking possession of the pigskin at the point where 
Joe had been downed. Paul was not so clever 
at inventing moves as was Joe, although he knew 
the signals perfectly. Yet he did his best, and 
again the ball moved up the field, much to the 
delight of the Lakeporters. 

‘‘ That’s it — carry it over ! ” was the yell. 

But this was not to be. On the very next move 
the pigskin fell into the hands of the Brookside 
center, through another fumble by Henry Han- 
cock. This gave the opponents a chance to ad- 
vance, and as a consequence they made eight, ten, 
and twelve yards in rapid succession. Then came 


182 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


a sudden and unexpected break, and almost before 
the spectators realized it, the Brookside right tackle 
kicked a goal from the field. 

‘‘ Hurrah ! A field goal for Brookside ! ’’ came 
the cry. 

There were ten minutes more to play, and the 
score was a tie. ‘‘Which eleven will win?’^ was 
the absorbing question on every tongue. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


“i will!’’ 

There was no doubt of it — Lakeport felt the 
loss of Joe and Fred greatly. Fred was a re- 
liable center rush, always on the alert, while 
Joe had been playing a fine game as quarter-back, 
and had captained the eleven with skill and judg- 
ment. 

The pigskin was put into play again immediately 
after the goal from field by Brookside, and now 
the Brookside eleven played like demons to score 
again. The play was as rough as before, and on 
the slippery ground more than one player suffered 
greatly. Harry was hurt in the leg. Matt received 
a severe wrench of the shoulder, and big Bart 
Mason came down on his stomach so heavily that it 
took him a full minute to get back his wind. 
Brookside also suffered, the left end cutting his 
ear quite severely. So there was ''blood in the 
air,” physically as well as mentally speaking. 

Try their best, the Lakeport boys could not hold 
back their opponents, and by a series of rushes, 
183 


184 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Brookside came up to within ten yards of the goal 
line. Here Paul and his followers did all they 
could to hold them, but amid a din that was deafen- 
ing, Brookside forced the ball over. 

“ A touchdown ! A touchdown ! Brookside 
wins ! ” was the cry, and caps, canes, and flags went 
sailing up into the air. In the midst of the uproar 
the ball was brought out • for the kick, but the 
attempt at goal failed. 

“ Never mind, that makes the score nine to 
four!’’ 

“ Three minutes more to play 1 ” called the ref- 
eree, and once again the pigskin was placed in 
position. But though the Lakeport boys worked 
as they had never worked before, the most they 
could do was to carry the ball down to the Brook- 
side twenty-yard line. Then the fateful whistle 
sounded, — and the game came to an end. 

As was to be expected, Brookside folks in gen- 
eral went mad with joy, and so did the eleven. 
Thus far in the League the club had scored three 
straight victories, which was something of which 
any organization might be proud. But more than 
that, they had defeated their old-time conquerors, 
the Lakeport aggregation. 

‘'Told you we’d do it!” cried Roy Willetts to 
Harry. 


WILL 


185 


Perhaps you wouldn’t have done it if Fred 
Rush and my brother Joe had stayed in the game,” 
answered Harry. 

“ I think we would.” 

“ Well, one game doesn’t decide the series.” 

We’ll be ready at the next game, — don’t worry 
about that,” returned Roy, and then ran off to be 
congratulated by his friends for some really brilliant 
plays he had made. 

Fred had recovered sufficiently to join the others, 
but poor Joe had to be taken home with care. 
Mr. Corsen had a steam launch tied up at the Brook- 
side dock, and insisted upon taking the suffering 
quarter-back to Lakeport on this. Then a carriage 
took Joe home. 

The Lakeport boys felt decidedly blue, although 
they did their best not to show it. They had to 
acknowledge that they had been outplayed, although 
many insisted that the defeat was largely due to 
the accidents to the captain and Fred. 

It was our game up to the time Joe was hurt,” 
said Harry, bound to stick up for his brother. 

“ But Paul did his best,” insisted Link. 

‘‘ Oh, I know that. But all of us were more 
used to Joe as captain than we were to Paul — or 
anybody else, for the matter of that.” 

Two other games had been played that day, and 


186 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Bralham had defeated Barton Park by a score of 
12 to 6. The other game had been played at some 
distance from the lake, between Voup’s Stars and 
an aggregation from two small boarding schools 
that was named the Tally-ho’s. Of course Si and 
Ike did not play — being still sick at home — yet 
strange to say the Stars won by a score of 20 to ii. 

“ Si’s eleven can do better without him than 
with him,” was Paul’s comment. 

Paul, this doesn’t look as if we were going to 
win the League Pennant,” said Matt, who was 
present. We’ve got one game to our credit and 
so have Bralham and Barton Park, while Brookside 
has three. That’s a pretty good lead.” 

“ Well, remember we have six more games to 
play,” answered the temporary captain of the club. 

“We’ve got to practice up harder than ever,” 
added Bart. “ For one, I am willing to devote 
all my spare time to it.” 

“ So am I,” added Walter. 

“I wonder if Joe will be able to take charge 
at the next game?” asked Andy. 

“ I hope so,” answered Matt. “ But he is pretty 
badly hurt— worse than the doctor first supposed,” 
he went on seriously. “ Fred is going to get in 
the game. He told me so to-day.” 

What Matt had to say about the young captain 


I WILL ! ’’ 


187 


of the eleven was true — ^Joe was indeed more 
seriously hurt than at first supposed, and as he lay 
on a sick bed he had not even the consolation of a 
victory to cheer him up. In spite of all he had 
done his eleven had lost, — and Brookside was now 
two games ahead of each of the other clubs. It 
made him feverish to think of it, and to get feverish, 
the doctor said, was the worst thing that could hap- 
pen. 

‘‘ He must remain quiet for at least a week — 
maybe two weeks,’’ said the physician, and he 
must not be allowed to excite himself in any way 
whatsoever.” And the family said they would do 
what they could to carry out these orders. Harry 
was told not to mention football, and if Joe asked 
about the club to change the subject. On Tuesday 
poor Joe grew delirious and called continually: 
‘‘6, 3, 14, all together! Run to the left! My 
kick-ofif! Send her ahead! Smash her! Push 
’em back ! ” and the like, in a manner that made 
his mother’s heart ache. 

With Joe out of the game, Harry had little heart 
to play — indeed his folks urged him to give it up. 
Yet the youth felt that he had no right to desert 
the team, now that it was already weakened by the 
loss of its captain and quarter-back. 

“ It wouldn’t be fair, father,” he told his parent. 


188 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“ All of us promised to stick, — and the town folks 
have helped us to get our outfit, and all that. If 
our club loses too many players it will go to pieces 
entirely. You don’t want to see Lakeport do that, 
do you? ” 

Now, although Mr. Westmore was a staid busi- 
ness men, he did not forget his own boyhood, and 
how he had once played baseball, and ridden a horse 
in a race at the county fair, and won, too. So 
he agreed that Harry should stay on the eleven, 
although he cautioned his son to be careful. 

'‘If you got hurt, too, your ma would never 
get over it,” he said. 

“ I’ll be as careful as I can,” answered Harry. 

Fred came back, although the first day of practice 
he was rather pale, and he trembled when handling 
the ball. Mr. Bellman made him go slowly and told 
him to stop long before the others gave up. 

As said before. Si Voup and Ike Boardman were 
still sick. But Ike had so far recovered that he 
could tell his story rationally — what little there was 
of it, which was not much. He said he and Si had 
been out in the motor boat and had had the quarrel 
with those aboard the Sprite, Then he and Si 
had rounded the island and gone ashore to hunt 
for nuts. While filling their pockets somebody had 
come up behind him and knocked him down with 


‘‘I WILL!’’ 


189 


a stick, rendering him senseless. How long he 
had been unconscious he did not know. When he 
came to his senses he found Si under a tree near by. 
He also had been struck down and there was a big 
lump on his head from the blow. Hardly knowing 
what they were doing, both of the semi-dazed lads 
had walked out on the shore road and had there 
been picked up by a farmer driving past and brought 
home. They had forgotten all about the motor 
boat and did not know what had become of the 
craft. 

‘‘ But I am sure we tied her up when we landed,’' 
added Ike. 

He was strongly of the opinion that Paul, Harry, 
Matt, and Andy were responsible for the attack, 
and that those lads had meant to run off with the 
motor boat, but had become scared when they saw 
how badly their victims were hurt. Ike even went 
so far as to say he had caught a flying glimpse of 
his assailant and that the fellow had looked as much 
like Paul as anybody. 

And I think Harry Westmore was behind him,” 
he added. 

Ike’s view of the matter was shared by his father 
and by Mr. Voup, and in the midst of his worry 
over Joe’s condition, Mr. Westmore was visited at 
his store by both of the rich men. 


190 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“ We are bound to get at the bottom of this 
affair/’ said Mr. Voup, rubbing his hands together 
nervously. “ Bound to do it, sir ! ” 

“If I had my way Td have your son Harry 
and his companions arrested immediately,” added 
Mr. Boardman. 

“ Gentlemen, I do not think my son guilty,” 
answered Mr. Westmore coldly. “ I have ques- 
tioned him closely, and questioned those who were 
with him. They all tell the same story — that they 
did not go ashore excepting near the upper end of 
the lake. Your sons were attacked by somebody 
else.” 

“ My son Isaac ” began Mr. Boardman ; but 

Mr. Westmore broke in: 

“ Your son has in the past made several serious 
mistakes, Mr. Boardman, — and Silas Voup has done 
the same thing.” 

“No mistake this time ! ” 

“ I think there is — unless it is a deliberate at- 
tempt on his part to get my son into trouble — 
just as he and Si tried to do when they said their 
motor boat had been ruined, and Joel Runnell 
proved that the rascally work was done by Ike 
and Si themselves.” 

“Tut! tut! I want you to understand — — ” 
began Mr. Voup. 


‘a WILLr» 


191 


“ Mr. Voup, I am a busy man, and I have no 
time to waste on you and Mr. Boardman. I know 
your sons thoroughly, — the whole of Lakeport 
knows them. They are bad boys — always have 
been. I believe my son is innocent. Now, if you 
want to make any charge against Harry I cannot 
stop you. But if you do — well, our old agreement 
will come to an end, and I shall at once make 
several charges against both Si and Ike, — and I’ll 
press those charges to the limit of the law. That 
is all I have to say to both of you. Now — good 
day ! ” 

Such — er — impertinence!” gasped Mr. Voup. 

Ha ! this is outrageous ! stormed Mr. Board- 

man. I will — I will ” He could not go on, 

but shook his fist at Mr. Westmore, who had turned 
to his desk, to work on his account books. Then 
Mr. Boardman stalked from the store, and a second 
later Mr. Voup followed him. 

But, if he spoke thus plainly, Mr. Westmore was 
much worried, and that evening he had another 
talk with Harry. 

Well, we’ll have to see what they do,” said 
he at last. They may take this matter to court. 
But I scarcely think they will be so foolish — in 
view of what has happened in the past.” Harry 
was afraid he might be arrested the next day, but 


192 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


nothing of the sort occurred, and then he breathed 
a little easier. 

One of the lads who took the defeat at Brookside 
greatly to heart was Henry Hancock. Henry was 
a splendid fellow, but extremely shy and self- 
conscious, both of which qualities stood in the way 
of his playing a strong game. 

I — I made several awfully bad fumbles,’’ he 
said to Paul and Harry, when the three were alone. 

I — I guess I had better resign. Don’t you think 
so?” 

Resign ? ” repeated the temporary captain in 
surprise. 

“ Yes. You see, I want to play, but — but I’m' 
not — that is — I am not sure of myself,” stammered 
Henry. ‘‘ Maybe you can get some better player 
in my place.” 

“ Why, you’re all right, Henry ! ” cried Harry. 
‘‘All you lack is self-confidence. You make up 
your mind that you can do a thing— and you’ll 
do it nine times out of ten.” 

“Do you really think so?” asked the timid 
youth wistfully. “ I like to play, but when I make 
a mistake I lose heart right away, and I get nervous 
and then, somehow, I seem to go all to pieces 
inside ! ” 

“ Take Harry’s advice and brace up! ” said Paul. 


I WILL ! ’’ 193 

YouVe got the stuff in you. Just say ‘ I will ! ’ 
and stick to it, and you’ll come out all right.” 

‘‘ I will ! ” cried Henry, and from that moment 
on a new look shone in his clear brown eyes. That 
I will ! ” meant a good deal, as both he and the 
others were to learn later. 


CHAPTER XIX 


SPY WORK 

At the second game with Bralham, Paul was 
captain and quarter-back, and Teddy Dugan played 
on the eleven. The new captain worked hard to 
do all that the coach expected of him, and was 
much elated when the contest came to an end by 
a score of 1 6 to 9 in Lakeport’s favor. But on 
the same day Brookside defeated Barton Park, so 
that club remained as much in the lead as before. 

On this day Teddy Dugan distinguished himself 
by stopping a long run by the Bralham full-back, 
which might otherwise have ended in a touchdown. 
The ball was stopped on the five-yard line, and it 
was Fred, aided by Harry and Walter, who got 
it back in the middle of the field. 

In the meantime poor Joe lay on his sick bed. 
He wanted to get up, but neither the doctor nor his 
mother would listen to him. 

You must keep quiet a week longer,’’ said the 
physician, and then Mrs. Westmore added: ‘‘If 
you don’t keep quiet, Joe, you shan’t go back 
194 


195 


SPY WOEK 

to football-playing at all.” And then he subsided 
and became, outwardly, as meek as a lamb. But 
inwardly he burned with the desire to be with his 
chums again. 

Following the Bralham game came one in the 
middle of the week with Barton Park. That con- 
test found Paul “ under the weather,” with a vio- 
lent headache, while Walter had to go to New 
York on business for his father. This brought 
not only Teddy, but also Kyle Fenton and Charley 
Doolittle into the game. Three other members of 
the club, who played football but seldom, were put 
on the bench as substitutes. 

This is a tough proposition,” said Harry. 
“With Joe, Paul, and Walter out of it well be 
lucky if we win.” 

Nevertheless the Lakeport boys played with great 
vigor, and as a consequence won the game by a 
score of i 8 to lo. 

“ This is grand ! ” cried Matt enthusiastically. 
And the others agreed with him. “ Perhaps well 
win that Pennant after all.” 

“ Hope we do ! ” added Henry Hancock. 

Three days later came the second game with 
Brookside. All of the regular players but Joe 
were present, and each did his best to score, yet 
the game resulted in a victory for Brookside, 1 1 to o. 


196 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


They and their friends went mad with joy, while 
the Lakeport boys were too dispirited to say a word. 

“ This gives us our series with Lakeport ! cried 
A1 Lemming joyfully. “ Even if they win the 
other, it will be two to one in our favor.’’ 

^ Well, we are not playing you alone, we are 
playing the League,” retorted Matt. 

“ And you’ll please to remember our best player, 
Joe Westmore, is sick,” added Frank. 

‘‘Just wait till Joe gets back and you’ll see 
us climb,” put in Bart. 

“All right — do your best — that’s what we are 
doing,” said Al, and ran off to join the other Brook- 
side players. That evening Brookside held a reg- 
ular banquet in honor of the victory, for, next to 
winning the Pennant, they had desired a victory 
over their ancient enemy, Lakeport. On that day 
Barton Park defeated Bralham, lo to 6. 

So far the Westmores had heard no more from 
Mr. Voup and Mr. Boardman. Ike and Si were 
now around again, and they did not hesitate to tell 
their friends that they thought Harry, Paul, and 
the others who had been aboard the Sprite that day 
had attacked them. This made more bad feeling 
among the boys, and one day Harry and Ike got 
into a regular fist fight. This happened near the 
boathouse and was witnessed by over a dozen lads 


SPY WOEK 


197 


who chanced to be present. Ike was knocked down 
twice, and would have attacked Harry with a stick 
of wood had not Paul and Matt stopped them. 

None of that! ’' said Paul sternly. If you 
want to fight, do it fairly.” 

‘‘ This isn’t your quarrel, Paul Shale ! ” retorted 
Ike. He was so angry that he scarcely knew what 
he was doing. 

“ I don’t care if it is or not. You drop that 
stick.” 

Why can’t you fight with your fists ? ” ques- 
tioned Matt. That is what Harry is doing.” 

“ Ike’s afraid,” put in another lad standing near. 

‘‘You let me alone!” bellowed Ike, and watch- 
ing his chance he ran around Paul and raised the 
stick to hit Harry over the head. But just as he 
did this. Matt put out his foot, and the enraged 
youth fell down full length on the dock. 

When Ike arose he had a big patch of soft tar 
on his arm, and he was more furious than ever. 
Without a word, but with his eyes blazing with 
passion, he rushed at Matt, and down came the 
stick on that lad’s shoulder. But just as it landed 
Harry rushed to the rescue. He caught Ike from 
behind and ran him across the dock. 

Hi ! hi ! let up ! ” yelled Ike in sudden fear. 

“That for hitting Matt with the stick!” re- 


198 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


torted Harry, and with a strong push he sent Ike 
off the side of the dock into water about two feet 
deep. Down went the bully with a splash, and 
then after a great squirming around he stood up — 
in mud up to his ankles. 

“ ril fix you fellows for this— see if I don’t ! ” he 
cried in rage and almost in tears. And then he 
waded ashore and sneaked off, down a deserted 
alleyway. 

That the ducking had served Ike right was the 
unanimous verdict of the lads present, yet Harry 
wondered what the bully would do about it. 

I wish he and Si would leave Lakeport and 
never come back,” said he. 

‘‘ I wish the same,” answered Paul. 

He may make trouble for this.” 

“If he does I’ll make trouble for him!” cried 
Matt. “What right had he to hit me with that 
club?” 

“ Ike is in an extra sour humor because his 
football club is going to pieces,” said Andy Carr. 

Since he and Si got around they had a quarrel 
with those Camdale fellows and their league is 
just about broken up.” 

1 11 wager I know what the trouble was about,” 
cried Paul. “More than likely Si wanted that 
bribery money back from the Camdale fellows.” 


SPY WOEK 199 

And in this surmise the temporary captain of the 
Lakeport eleven was correct. 

About three miles above Bralham was the town 
of Cresco. It was a thriving community of four 
thousand souls, and boasted a bank, two weekly 
newspapers, and a railroad station at which quite 
a number of trains stopped daily. 

Cresco had no football team, but it had a good 
field for athletic sports, and there was an association 
there owning a fine clubhouse. 

Some of the members of the association were 
rich men and they in some manner conceived the 
idea of having the Bralham eleven play at least 
one game on their field. They offered a certain 
amount of money if the Bralham team would come 
up there, and the general committee of the League 
was consulted. Permission was granted, and, as 
a consequence, it was decided that Bralham and 
Lakeport should meet at Cresco on the following 
Saturday, instead of at either of the home towns. 

‘‘ No matter if we win or lose, each club will 
be twenty-five dollars richer,'' said Fred. And 
that is something. Our treasury is rather low.’^ 

To get to Cresco the Lakeport eleven had to 
journey to Bralham by boat and then by road in 
coaches or otherwise. There was a good highway 
between Bralham and Cresco, and some of the 


200 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

boys said they would take their bicycles along and 
wheel the distance. Then some of the other said 
they would do the same, and in the end both the 
regular eleven and the substitutes went on bicycles. 

'' ril tell you what we can do— if we feel like 
it,” said Harry, on the way to the game. , “ We 
can ride all the way home from Cresco. There 
is quite a good road, so Tve been told, from Cresco 
to Brookside, and we all know the road is good 
from Brookside to Lakeport. It won’t take us 
more than two or three hours, and it will be a fine 
trip if the weather holds out.” 

Let us see how we feel after the game,” 
answered Paul. Maybe the play will use us up.” 

The club found a large crowd assembled at 
Cresco to greet them, and, to add cheer to the 
gathering, the rich men of the place had engaged 
a band. Only a few spectators had come up from 
Lakeport, on account of the distance, but Bralham 
was well represented, and it looked as if the whole 
of Cresco had turned out to witness the contest. 

‘‘I just came over from Bartley,” Bart heard 
one visitor say to another, just before the eleven 
went on the field for practice. 

‘‘ What about the forest fires over there ? ” said 
the other visitor. ‘‘ I heard they were pretty bad.” 

They are bad and if this wind shifts around 


SPY WOEK 


201 


they will be worse. I wish we’d get a good rain 
that would put them out.” 

“ Did you hear that ? ” asked Bart of Harry. 
** That man said the forest fires near Hartley were 
bad. If we ride home on our wheels we’ll have 
to go through Hartley.” 

Oh, I guess the forest fires won’t hurt us, Bart. 
We can easily run away from any fire on our 
bicycles.” 

I don’t know about that, Harry. I was read- 
ing in the paper not long ago that the fires were 
fierce over in the next county, and some folks had 
to leave their farms for fear of being burned out.” 

“ I’d like to see a big fire at close range,” put 
in Walter, who was listening to the talk. “ It must 
be very exciting.” 

Not so pleasant if your property is burning up,” 
answered Bart. Yet, I admit, a big fire is fasci- 
nating. Why, once, when I went to Boston with 
my father, there was a big fire down at the docks, 
and we went to see it. It was the greatest spectacle 
I ever witnessed, those big clouds of smoke and 
tongues of flames shooting skyward, and the fire 
engines tooting and playing away. Say, I told my 
father I shouldn’t like anything better than to be 
a city fireman and run to such fires all the time ! ” 
And Bart smiled broadly over the recollection. 


202 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

For the game with Bralham the boys had been 
carefully coached by Carl Bellman, who had studied 
the weak points of the up-the-lake aggregation. A 
new play was to be tried, and this had been prac- 
ticed many times on the field at Lakeport. 

Well, I declare, if there aren’t Si Voup and 
Ike Boardman!” exclaimed Harry as he ran on 
the field and looked over the crowd in the stand. 

‘‘ Came to crow over us if we are defeated, I 
suppose,” said Bart. ‘Ht’s just like ’em. Now 
their own club had gone to smash, they’d like noth- 
ing better than to see us go to smash too.” 

Where is Andy ? ” asked Paul, looking over 
the players assembled. 

He said he d be here in a minute,” answered 
Henry Hancock. He had a little special business 
to attend to.” 

The practice was almost over before Andy put 
in an appearance. He came on the field almost out 
of breath. 

Say, Andy, this won’t do,” began Paul. “ You 
must practice with the rest of us after this.” 

Something important, Paul,” was the answer. 
‘‘Come here a minute,” and Andy beckoned the 
captain to one side. 

‘‘ What is it? Be quick, for Fve got to go out 
for the toss-up soon.” 


SPY WORK 


203 


It’s about that sneak of a Boardman ! ” ex- 
ploded Andy. '‘You know about the row on the 
dock — when Harry shoved him overboard ? ” 

“ Certainly.” 

“ Well, I guess Boardman is going to square up 
to-day — if he can. He had been watching our 
play at home on the field, and just now he sent a 
letter to the captain of the Bralham eleven. I don’t 
know the particulars, but I heard Ike tell Si he had 
signed it ‘ Bralhamite,’ and had told the Bralham 
player to beware of the new tricks. And I heard 
Si say, ‘ Good ! that will make ’em lose, sure ! ’ ” 

" Oh, the rascal ! ” muttered Paul. “ I saw him 
watching us at practice, but I never thought he 
would be mean enough to give our new moves 
away.” Paul drew a long breath. " I’ll have to 
tell Mr. Bellman of this ! ” And he ran to inter- 
view the coach. 

" It’s too bad,” said the coach. “ But you 
needn’t suffer — now you know what is in the wind. 
We’ll reverse the moves ! ” And he quickly ex- 
plained what he meant, and then Paul explained to 
those under him. 

But whether this sudden shifting of intentions 
would win the game or not remained to be seen. 


CHAPTER XX 


IN A BLAZING FOREST 

^‘Well, that’s what I call going some!” 

It was Harry who uttered the remark, half an 
hour after the game at Cresco had closed. The boys 
were getting out of their football suits, preparatory 
to starting for Lakeport on their bicycles. 

The contest had been wonderful in more than one 
respect. In the first half Bralham had made two 
touchdowns and given Lakeport the benefit of a 
safety. Three times had the Lakeport boys come 
within ten yards of their opponents’ line and each 
time they had failed to carry the pigskin over. 
Then had come that soul-inspiring second half, 
when Lakeport had made the first touchdown in less 
than five minutes and had followed this by two 
more touchdowns and a goal from the field. The 
goal from the field had been made by Henry Han- 
cock at a time when the Bralham players had hoped 
to get the ball for a long run. The goal had 
astonished even Henry himself, and for the first 
time the timid lad realized what I will! ” meant. 

204 


IN A BLAZING FOREST 205 


“ That is what I call pulling a game out of the 
fire/’ was Matt’s comment. 

“ Did you notice Si Voup and Ike Boardman? ” 
asked Andy. “ They were vastly delighted at the 
first half of the game — when they saw us losing, — 
but their faces changed when we got to work.” 

“ Such meanness I never saw before,” said Matt, 
referring to what Ike had done. “ He hasn’t any 
town pride at all. The boys of Lakeport ought 
to ride him on a rail.” 

‘‘ I’ll tell you this,” said Harry. ** If Ike keeps 
on in that fashion, before long he won’t have a 
single friend.” 

“ He and Si have very few as it is,” said Andy. 
‘‘ Most of the boys who moved to Lakeport when 
I did have deserted them. The boys won’t even go 
out in the motor boat any more.” 

“ Si and Ike came to Cresco on their wheels,” 
said Paul. “I suppose they are going home on 
’em, too.” 

They needn’t ride with us ! ” cried several of 
the club. 

“ Or come anywhere near us ! ” added Walter. 

The club members were warmly congratulated on 
their victory by many people of Cresco, and one 
gentleman insisted upon treating them to ice-cream 
and cake before they departed for home. 


206 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Come again,” said the gentleman. A game 
like that livens up this town — and we need some- 
thing to stir us up.” 

One of the club members knew the road from 
Cresco to Brookside — or imagined he did — so the 
boys started off without a thought of going astray. 
All were in high spirits because of the victory, and 
several commenced to whistle, while Matt sang a 
comic ditty composed on the spur of the moment. 

“ There go Si and Ike ! ” called out Paul pres- 
ently, and pointed to a side street leading from 
Cresco. The two bullies were streaking along on 
their bicycles with heads bent low, as if they did 
not wish to be recognized. 

“ They are going the upper way,” explained 
Frank, who was the one supposed to know the road. 

That street comes out into the regular road about 
a mile from here.” 

They must want to get ahead of us,” said 
Harry. Let them go — ^we don’t want anything 
to do with them.” 

“ I don’t think they are anxious to reach Lake- 
port because of the news they have to tell,” was 
Matt’s comment, and he grinned broadly. 

“ I am doubly glad of this victory when I think 
of how Ike tried to play us foul by his spy work,” 
said Andy. 


IN A BLAZING FOREST 207 

Knowing that they had a good many miles to 
cover, and being somewhat tired from the football 
game, the boys did not attempt to set a fast pace, 
but rolled along at a speed of about six or seven 
miles an hour. The road led up and down, over 
half a dozen small hills, and wound in and out 
through the woods and across big open fields. Here 
and there they saw the corn and hay stacked up, 
and the big pumpkins lying on the bare ground. 
Once they passed a grove of hickory trees, and 
stopped long enough to fill their pockets with 
nuts. Then they passed a farmhouse that was 
situated directly on the roadway, and saw an old 
farmer leaning on a gate, smoking a briar-root 
pipe. 

‘‘ This the road to Brookside ? sang out Paul, 
who was in advance. 

“ Yes ! called the farmer. But I don’t know 
if ye kin git through.” 

‘‘Why not?” 

“Them forest fires is putty bad tudder side o’ 
Hartley.” 

“ Have they reached the road yet ? ” inquired 
Harry as all the boys came to a halt. 

“ Don’t know about that. They hadn’t cum that 
far yisterday. But the wind’s shiftin’, as ye kin 
see.” 


208 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Did two other wheelmen go by here ? '' asked 
Matt. 

‘‘Yes, but they went so fast I didn’t have no 
chance to talk to ’em.” 

“How far to Dartley?” asked Walter. 

“ A leetle over a mile. But the road ain’t none 
o’ the best.” 

“ Oh, we can make it ! ” cried Harry. “ Come 
on — we want to get home before dark,’' and he 
hopped on his bicycle again and led the way, the 
others following. 

Before they reached Dartley they saw a thick 
cloud of smoke rolling away in the distance, and 
knew it must be from the forest fires. But it 
seemed a long way off, so they were not alarmed. 
A lively breeze was blowing and was increasing 
every minute. 

Dartley was a small collection of houses located 
where several roads crossed each other. Only a 
few women and children were to be seen, and from 
one of the women they learned that the men and 
boys had gone off to a place called Hopper’s Mills, 
to see if they could not save the mill buildings from 
being burned. 

“ They are cutting down some trees and they 
may blow others up,” said the woman. “ They 
took some dynamite along. There goes a charge 


IN A BLAZING FOEEST 209 

now ! ” she added, as a dull boom came from a 
distance. 

“ This is getting interesting,” said Paul anxiously. 

Maybe we can’t get through.” 

“Oh, let us try it!” cried Fred. 

“ That’s what I say ! ” added several. 

“ Sure an’ I’m not afraid av a bit av forest fire, 
so I ain’t,” declared Teddy Dugan. “ On our 
wheels we can streak through any fire — if we want 
to.” 

The boys learned that the two other bicyclists had 
gone on, and this made them more anxious to 
proceed than ever. 

“ If Si and Ike aren’t afraid I’m sure ’ I am 
not,” declared Frank, and this sentiment was 
general. 

Just beyond Dartley the road made several turns, 
and here another road crossed the first at a sharp 
angle. Some bushes hid the crossing partly from 
view, and before any of the party were aware they 
had taken to the wrong highway. They passed on 
for almost a mile before Frank began to grow 
doubtful. 

“ This doesn’t look just right to me,” he declared. 
“ I wonder if we could have made a mistake ? ” 

“ I didn’t see any other road,” came from Harry. 

“ I did,” answered Andy. 


210 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


50 did I,” added Henry, a half mile or 
more back.” 

Not knowing if they were right or wrong, they 
advanced at a slower rate of speed, until Paul, who 
had again taken the lead, uttered a cry: 

‘‘ A signboard ! Perhaps that will tell us where 
we are.” 

All looked at the signboard with interest. It 
was set up at the beginning of a side road, and read 
as follows: 

Carsville, 5 Miles Brookside, 6 Miles. 

Brookside six miles ! ” cried Bart. “ I thought 
we had but three or four miles to go.” 

This isn’t the road I expected to take,” said 
Frank. ‘‘ But if it leads to Brookside I suppose 
it is all right.” 

51 and Ike took this road,” said Link. Here 
are the tracks of their wheels,” and he pointed to 
the marks in the dust. 

Again they proceeded. The road was of dirt, 
but fairly smooth from the last rain, for travel 
upon it was evidently light. It wound in and out 
of the woods, and was lined upon both sides with 
some thick timber and considerable scrub growth. 

As the boys proceeded they saw the sky grow 


IN A BLAZING FOREST 211 

dark. At first they thought a storm might be 
coming, for the wind was increasing. But soon 
they discovered that the clouds were smoke. Soon 
they could smell it plainly. 

That forest fire can’t be so very far off,” said 
Harry soberly. “ I hope it doesn’t cross this road.” 

If it does, we’ll have to turn back,” was Link’s 
comment. 

“ Oh, if it isn’t very fierce perhaps we can run 
past it,” came from Paul, who hated to turn back 
in anything he undertook to do. 

As they proceeded the clouds of smoke became 
more dense, occasionally obscuring the roadway 
ahead from view. Once it seemed to swoop down 
on them, causing every lad to stop riding. A 
general coughing and rubbing of eyes followed. 

“ Boys, this is getting serious,” declared Bart at 
last. “ I really don’t know whether we can go on 
or not.” 

“ I certainly can’t stand the smoke if it gets 
thicker,” said Fred. 

“ Si and Ike must have gone through,” said 
Andy. ‘‘ There are those same wheel marks,” and 
he pointed them out. 

‘‘ That shows they passed here, but it doesn’t 
prove that they got to Brookside,” said Walter. 

They may be turning back this minute.” 


212 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Again they moved forward, the sky above them 
growing darker every instant. For some minutes 
the wind appeared to go down, but then it started 
up brisker than ever. 

“ Look ! ” cried Harry suddenly, and pointing 
overhead. All gazed in the direction pointed out 
and saw some burning leaves floating over them. 

‘‘This is getting close and no mistake!” was 
Bart’s comment. “ Boys, shall we go back or 
not ? ” 

He came to a halt and dismounted, and all the 
others did the same. The thick smoke was rolling 
over their heads, for the wind had shifted. The 
burning leaves came down here and there, one 
landing on Fred’s shoulder and another on Paul’s 
cap. At a distance they could hear the crackling 
of the forest conflagration. 

“ It certainly is getting too close for comfort,” 
muttered Frank. “I think — Ouch!’' 

A small brand had fallen on his hand, leaving 
a little blister behind. Now another brand fell on 
Link, and the carpenter’s son knocked it off 
hastily. 

“ Say, this is too much ! ” he declared quickly. 
“ I move we turn back — and the quicker the better.” 

“ But what of Si and Ike ? ” questioned Harry. 

“ We can’t look out for them,” answered Walter. 


IN A BLAZING FOREST 213 

‘‘ I don’t think they would care a rap what became 
of us,” he added bitterly. 

They turned their bicycles around. As they did 
this there came a sudden rush of wind, carrying 
with it burning leaves and brushwood, and filling 
the air with smoke. All had to fight off the embers 
and each was blistered in doing it. The smoke 
almost blinded them. 

Quick ! quick ! ” yelled Harry. “ If we don’t 
get out of here the fire will hedge us in ! ” 

All mounted their wheels and prepared to ride 
back. But another great cloud of smoke came 
down over the road they had been traveling, cutting 
off the retreat for the time being. 

“ That burning stuff is flying all over ! ” gasped 
Link. “ It will set fire to the woods behind us 
as well as in front of us.” 

“ Listen ! ” called Paul. “ I thought I heard 
somebody calling ! ” 

The others listened and they, too, thought they 
heard a human voice, sounding above the rushing 
of the wind and the crackling of the forest fire. 
They looked onward — over the road they had ex- 
pected to travel. 

‘‘It is Si Voup! ” ejaculated Fred. 

He was right — it was the bully of Lakeport, 
capless, and with a face blackened by smoke and 


214 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


full of terror. He was riding unsteadily, and as 
he reached them he swayed from side to side and 
pitched off in the dirt. 

‘‘Where is Ike?’^ demanded half a dozen in 
concert. 

“ Burned alive, I guess ! was the gasped-out 
answer. “ The fire is coming like mad ! We’ll all 
be burned up ! Save me 1 Oh, save me ! ” 


CHAPTER XXI 


JOEL RUNNELL TO THE RESCUE 

It was truly a time of peril, and for the moment 
none of the boys knew what to do. Before them 
was the terrible forest fire, swirling and crackling 
in the wind, and cutting off further progress, be- 
hind them the heavy clouds of smoke, rolling om- 
inously nearer and nearer. 

And in the midst of the football club was Si 
Voup, so weak from exhaustion and terror that 
he could scarcely keep upon his feet. He stood 
close to big Bart Mason, shaking from head to feet 
and with his teeth chattering. 

‘‘ Where did you leave Ike? asked Paul quickly. 

I — I — we were both riding this way, — trying 
to get away from the fire— when he— he went 
down— struck a stone, I guess. Oh, what shall 
we do ? We’ll be burned up sure ! ’’ 

‘‘Didn’t you try to pick him up?” demanded 
Harry, and even in that trying moment his tone 
showed his indignation. 

215 


216 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


“ I — I couldn’t — I had all I could do to save 
myself! Oh, say, let us get out of here! ” And 
Si looked around with wildly-staring eyes. 

Another shifting of the wind drove the thick 
clouds of smoke down upon the boys, and their 
dread increased. At that instant every lad present 
would have given all he was worth to have been 
safe at home. 

‘‘We can’t stay here — we’ve simply got to do 
something,” said Link. 

“ Well, which way shall we go, ahead or to the 
rear?” asked Andy. 

“ I guess we’ll have to take the back road. So 
far there is little there but smoke.” 

“But what of Ike?” asked Paul. “We ought 
to try to do something for him.” 

“ Do — don’t wait — here ! ” gasped Si. “ He — he 
can take care of hi — himself.” 

At these words all the other boys looked at the 
rich bully in utter disgust. That was the kind of 
friendship Si felt for Ike ! In his moment of peril 
he was willing to leave his crony and think only 
of himself. 

“Ike! Ike!” yelled Harry at the top of his 
lungs. “ Ike Boardman ! ” 

The others yelled in chorus, and presently, to 
their delight, an answering cry came back. Then, 


JOEL TO THE RESCUE 217 

through the smoke, came a bicycle rider, crouched 
low over the handle-bars. It was Ike, dirty, 
and with blood on his cheek and on his right 
hand. 

‘‘ What did you want to run away from me 
for?’' he demanded, glaring at Si savagely. 
^‘You’re a nice fellow, you are! Leave me be- 
hind when I get a spill 1 ” 

I — I thought yo — you’d follow me all right,’’ 
answered Si faintly. 

Don’t stop to talk,” interrupted Matt. “ We’ve 
got to do something. Come on back — it’s the only 
way out.” 

He leaped upon his wheel, and one after another 
the others did the same, and all turned to pedal 
along the road they had come The thick smoke 
was now coming down steadily, and the air was 
filled with burning leaves, brushwood, and small tree 
twigs. 

‘‘ Ouch I ” roared Si, as a burning twig fell upon 
his neck, blistering him. Oh, why did I ever 
come out here ! ” 

Serves you right for leaving me behind I ” 
answered Ike. His anger almost supplanted his 
fear. 

But little more was said just then, for the gravity 
of the situation kept the lads silent. On they 


218 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


wheeled through the smoke, fighting off the burning 
brands as best they could. 

They soon reached a turn of the highway, where 
there was a hill on one side and a hollow and some 
rocks on the other. Just as they gained this spot 
the wind increased, and the air was filled with fire. 

“ We can’t go on ! cried Harry. Look ! ” 

There was no need to speak, for all were gazing 
ahead with smarting eyes. The fire had caught in 
some dry brushwood on either side of the roadway. 
Now it was climbing up some evergreens, that acted 
like so many torches. The lively wind was blowing 
the flames in a sheet across the road, cutting off the 
boys’ further progress. 

Every one understood the situation. The fire was 
both in front and behind them. Escape by the road- 
way was completely cut off. 

“ We’ve got to do something,” groaned Fred. 
“ The fire will be on us in another five minutes.” 

‘‘ Hello ! hello ! ” came a cry from a distance. 

Where are you ? ” 

Hark ! ” exclaimed Harry. ‘‘ Somebody is 
calling to us.” 

“ Here we are 1 ” yelled half a dozen. Here, 
on the roadway ! ” 

A moment later, to the amazement of all the boys, 
the figure of a man came running through the 


JOEL TO THE RESCUE 219 


woods. He was soaking wet from head to feet, 
and he had a soft hat pulled far down over his fore- 
head. 

“Joel Runnell!^’ cried Harry and Fred in con- 
cert. 

It was indeed the old hunter. He was somewhat 
out of breath from his fight to escape the flames and 
scarcely knew for the moment what to say. 

“ Come on this way ! ” he cried, when he could 
speak. “ You can’t follow the road ! ” And he 
led the way from the roadway to the hollow and the 
rocks beyond. 

“ I — I can’t carry my bicycle ! ” gasped Si. 

“ Then leave it behind,” answered the old hunter, 
abruptly. “Unless ye think the wheel is wuth 
more’n your own life,” he added with grim humor. 

“ I don’t ! ” answered the rich bully. “ It’s an 
old wheel anyhow,” he added, and let it fall, and Ike 
Boardman also allowed his bicycle to slip from his 
grasp. The other boys thought they would con- 
tinue to keep their mounts, at least for the present, 
for none of them felt rich enough to throw any 
property away if there was a chance to save it. 

Feeling certain that Joel Runnell would lead them 
to safety, Harry and the others kept close behind 
the old hunter. Amid the smoke that was rolling 
everywhere among the trees, Runnell led them 


220 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


along the hollow until they came to a series of 
rough rocks. Here was an opening all of three 
acres in extent. In the center was a swamp, and 
near one end some more rocks, from which bubbled 
a spring of clear, cold water. 

“ I don’t think the fire will tech us here,” ob- 
served the old hunter. “ Anyway, it will have to 
be a putty lively one to do it. There is plenty of 
drinking water at the spring, an’ ye kin wet your 
clothes, too, if ye want to.” 

All of the youths were glad enough to get a drink, 
and wet their faces and hands, and a good many of 
them also wet their sweaters and caps. But, so 
far, there was little need for the latter, for only a 
few burning embers came down in the swamp. 

“How did you happen to be in this vicinity?” 
questioned Paul, of the old hunter, when they had 
recovered somewhat from the exertion of their 
hasty flight through the woods and over the rocks. 

“ I had been over to Hopper’s Mills, helpin’ to 
save the buildings from being burnt,” answered 
Joel Runnell. “ I came this way, thinking I could 
pick up some game, for the squirrels and rabbits are 
running in all directions. Then, of a sudden, I 
heard you fellows yelling ‘ Ike ! Ike ! ’ I knowed 
the crowd had been up to Cresco playin’ football, so 
I put two and two together and made up my mind 



“ Come on this way ! You can’t follow the road! ” 
Page 219. 



JOEL TO THE RESCUE 221 

ye was in trouble. Then I called out, — an’ found 
ye.” 

“ Well, I am awfully glad you came along,” 
answered Fred gratefully. 

So am I,” added Harry. But I hope you 
didn’t get yourself into more trouble trying to help 
us out.” 

“ I was bound for this place. But I was going 
to keep on walkin’ to the lake front — about a quarter 
of a mile from here. I’ve got my rowboat tied up 
down there.” 

‘‘Can’t we get away in the boat?” asked Si 
eagerly. 

“ I might carry three or four of ye. The boat 
ain’t none too big.” 

“ Then take me ! ” implored the rich youth. “ I’ll 
pay you well ! ” he went on. “ I’ve got the money.” 
And he showed his pocketbook with several bank- 
bills in it. 

“ If I take anybody it will be my friends,” an- 
swered Joel Runnell bluntly, and he nodded toward 
Harry and his chums. 

“ Well, you ain’t going to leave me behind, are 
you ? ” asked Si, getting scared. 

“ Why not ? ” demanded Runnell. “ You never 
was my friend, — you nor your father either. You 
can stay here for all I care.” And the old hunter 


222 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


winked at Harry and Fred, to show that he was 
only fooling the rich bully. 

Oh, please don’t leave me here ! ” implored Si. 
His first fear of the flames had not yet left him. 
“ You are not rich — you need money. My father 
will pay you well for it if you’ll get me home in 
safety ! ” 

‘‘ Well, I’ll think it over,” answered Joel Runnell. 
He was deeply disgusted at the rich youth’s manner. 

The flames had now reached one edge of the 
swamp, and for several minutes the party was in 
greater peril than ever, for the burning brands came 
down all around them. But then the wind shifted, 
and the blaze started off in an entirely different 
direction. 

‘‘ The fire is back-tracking,” announced the old 
hunter. Hope it continues that way. If so, it 
will burn itself out by to-morrow.” 

For fully half an hour the air above them was 
filled with heavy smoke. But it did not descend 
upon them, for which they were thankful. It was 
now long after sundown, and quite dark. 

A bit of supper wouldn’t go bad,” said Fred, 
who, in order to play well on the gridiron that day, 
had partaken of a light dinner. 

“ Don’t mention it,” answered Link. I am hol- 
low down to my feet ! ” 


JOELTOTHEEESCUE 223 

‘‘ This looks as if we’d have to stay here all 
night,” said Walter. 

‘‘ Oh, I hope not ! ” cried Henry. ‘‘ My folks 
will be dreadfully worried about me — especially if 
they hear of the fire.” 

“ I think it will be safe to start for the lake road 
now,” announced Joel Runnell. “ If you get down 
near the water, and the wind should shift and drive 
the fire on you, you can easily jump in the lake. I 
know all boys can swim — at least, they ought to be 
able to.” 

Getting another drink at the spring, and wetting 
their caps and sweaters once more, they set off 
through the woods and over the rocks, Harry and 
his chums carrying their wheels on their shoulders. 
Si and Ike carried nothing, nor did they once offer 
to aid the others. 

I can carry a wheel,” said Joel Runnell, and he 
took Fred’s bicycle, for the climbing over the rocks 
had all but exhausted the stout youth. 

The party tramped on and on, in almost total 
darkness. At a distance they caught the glow of 
the forest fire, but this gradually became fainter and 
fainter. 

I reckon it is burning itself out,” was the old 
hunter’s comment. ‘Hf the wind dies out the folks 
living around here will be able to manage it. They 


224 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


have already sent for some firemen to take 
hold/’ 

What can the firemen do? ” questioned Frank. 
“ They can’t bring an engine into the woods.” 

No, but they can cut down brushwood that the 
fire is feeding on, and dig trenches, so the fire can’t 
advance,” replied Runnell. 

At last the party gained the lake road, as it was 
called. This was nothing but a lumber trail, lead- 
ing to Brookside. It was too rough for bicycle 
riding. 

‘‘ How far are we from Brookside? ” asked Paul. 

“ About two miles,” answered the old hunter. 

We can walk that easily enough,” said Harry. 
‘‘And from there we can ride home.” 

“ Now I’ll leave ye,” went on Joel Runnell. “ I 
don’t think the fire will follow ye. If it does, do as 
I told ye — take to the lake.” 

“We will,” answered Link. “ And much obliged 
for what you did for us.” 

“ Indeed we are obliged ! ” cried Harry, and the 
others said the same, even Ike appearing grateful. 
Only Si was silent. 

“ I ain’t got no wheel to ride home with,” he 
grumbled. 

“ Go back and get your wheel,” answered Matt 
dryly. 


JOELTOTHEEESCUE 225 

“ Oh, you needn’t get funny, Matt Roscoe ! ” 

I’ll hire a bicycle when I get to Brookside, — or 
else go home in a boat,” said Ike. The others saw 
that he did not address Si. As a matter of fact he 
turned his back on his crony. 

‘‘ Ike is mad at Si,” whispered Fred to Harry. 

I don’t think they’ll be quite so thick in the 
future.” 

“ Well, if Si left Ike behind on the road as he 
says he did, it was a mean piece of business,” was 
Harry’s comment, and in this opinion* the others 
agreed. 


CHAPTER XXII 


A GAME OF IMPORTANCE 

It was a weary and dirty-looking party of boys* 
that entered Brookside nearly an hour later. They 
had to walk to the limits of the town, and it must 
be confessed that none of them felt like wheeling 
from Brookside to Lakeport. 

Let us hire a boat or a stage,’’ suggested Fred. 
‘‘ I am willing to pay my share.” 

“ So am I ! ” cried the others. 

Maybe we can get the Mary Capes/^ said 
Walter, naming a gasoline launch belonging to a 
boatman of Brookside. This craft was kept for 
charter and was big enough to accommodate the 
entire party. 

After some difficulty the owner of the Mary 
Capes was found, and he said he would take them 
to Lakeport for thirty cents each. The fare was 
at once paid over, some lads lending others the 
necessary cash, and all went to the dock, and the 
launch was immediately gotten ready for the trip. 
Si and Ike went with the crowd, paying their share 
226 


A GAME OF IMPORTANCE 227 

without comment. Behind it all, the pair were glad 
to be allowed to join the others, having been afraid 
that they would be told that their company was not 
desired. 

Well, Barton Park beat Brookside to-day,'' 
said Paul, who had chanced to meet a boy he knew. 
“ That helps us some." 

‘‘ Say, are you fellows going to stop for something 
to eat ? " demanded Si. He didn't want to hear 
football mentioned. 

I think we had better go home," said Harry, 
with a questioning look at his chums. 

“ Yes, our folks will be worried," added Andy. 

I haven't any money for grub anyway," said 
Walter. 

“ I'm mighty hungry," went on the rich bully. 

“ Well, you can stay behind if you wish," an- 
swered Fred sharply. ‘‘We are going to get home 
just as soon as possible." 

“ Yes, and I am going home too," said Ike 
shortly. He did not deign to look at Si. Clearly 
he did not intend to forgive his crony for having 
deserted him in his hour of peril. 

“ Well, if you're all going I’ll go to," grumbled 
Si, and then relapsed into thoughtful silence. He 
realized that Ike was much offended by what had 
happened, and he wondered if his crony would “ go 


228 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


back on him for good.” If Ike did that, Si would 
be left utterly in the cold. 

Fortunately for the boys, the evening proved 
warm, so they did not take cold because of their wet 
garments. By the time they were well on the way 
to Lakeport they had recovered their spirits, and a 
few were inclined to treat their experience as a joke, 
although they knew it was far from that. 

I didn’t really think we’d be burned,” said Si 
loftily. ‘‘ But I didn’t want to get my new suit of 
clothes ruined.” 

“ What I was afraid of was that I might sunburn 
my complexion,” said Matt, imitating Si’s tone of 
voice. “ Or that I might get some smoke on my 
left front tooth.” 

“ Say, you needn’t make fun of me. Matt Ros- 
coe ! ” burst out the rich youth angrily. 

‘‘Fun of you?” drawled Matt;. “Not for the 
world ! ” And this answer set several of the other 
lads to tittering. Si was furious, but with eveij 
Ike against him, he did not dare to say more, and 
so went to sulking in the stern of the launch. 

When the boys got home it was nearly ten 
o’clock, and a good many of the parents were worry- 
ing. They knew the eleven had decided to come 
home on their wheels and knew something of the 
forest fire. Yet had they known how serious the 


A GAME OF IMPOETANCE 229 

conflagration was, and how near the boys had been 
to being hemmed in by the flames, they would 
have worried a great deal more. It may be added 
here that the fire died down during the night and a 
heavy rain on Sunday completely ended the con- 
flagration. It was a great loss to some lumbermen, 
and one farmer had his barn and some other out- 
buildings consumed. But no lives were lost, for 
which everybody was thankful. There was at first 
a report that Dan Marcy had been burned to death, 
and that his bones had been found, but the bones 
proved to be only those of a deer that had been shot 
out of season by a farmer. 

After the excitement of the forest fire had died 
down, matters ran smoothly with the boys until 
Thanksgiving. Then occurred the third and last 
game with Barton Park, and interest in football 
once more ran high. 

So far the League had played fourteen games, — 
that is, each of the four clubs had played seven 
games with the other three. The number of games 
won stood as follows : — 

Brookside 5 

Lakeport 4 

Barton Park 3 

Bralham 2 


230 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

As but two more games were to be played by 
Lakeport, the boys were naturally more than 
anxious to win. If they won the game with Barton 
Park, and Brookside lost to Bralham, they would be 
tied with Brookside for first place. If, on the 
other hand, they lost to Barton Park and Brookside 
won from Bralham — well, it would all be over, 
that’s all — and Brookside’s eleven would be the lake 
champions. 

‘‘Of course if we win and Brookside loses to- 
day,” said Harry, “ we’ll be tied — ^five to five — 
for first place, and we’ll have to play the last game 
anyhow, to see who comes out ahead.” 

Joe was once more in his old place as quarter- 
back and captain. He was quite strong again, and 
the doctor said he did not think it would hurt the 
lad to join the eleven. 

“ In fact I am of the opinion that he’ll be better 
off playing than he would be fretting because he 
could not play,” said the physician. 

The day for the game proved cold and clear, and 
all of the regular team but Walter were able to play. 
Walter's place was filled by Teddy Dugan, who had 
proven himself a reliable and wide-awake substi- 
tute. 

“ Now, boys, I am looking to you to do your best 
to-day,” said Carl Bellman, after giving them his 


A GAME OF IMPOETANCE 231 

final instructions. “ And mind, don’t do anything 
rash. Play cautiously and persistently. And don’t 
try that new cross-play until you have sized them 
up,” he added, to Joe. 

As it was a holiday the grand-stand was packed, 
while a great crowd surrounded the fence and the 
ropes stretched to hold them back. The stand was 
gayly decorated with flags and banners. Many had 
horns and rattles, and a perfect din arose long be- 
fore the game started. 

There was the usual practice, with criticism of 
the various players. It was easily to be seen that 
Barton Park had come to the gridiron with the in- 
tention of winning, and was in splendid form for 
the contest. 

We’ve got to work like Trojans to beat them,” 
observed Fred to Paul. 

** Well then, we’ll work like Trojans,” answered 
Paul, who was now in his old place as right 
end. 

It was soon time for the toss, and Lakeport won 
and took the west goal, from which a stiff wind was 
blowing. At once Barton Park kicked off in fine 
shape, but the ball was cleverly caught by Harry, 
who ran it back ten yards before he was tackled. 
Then came the first down, and the game was on in 
earnest. 


232 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

‘‘ Now, Lakeport, show 'em what you can do! ” 
Rush the ball, Barton Park — rush it I " 
Numerous cries filled the air, for this was once 
more a contest “ for blood,” as the saying goes. 
Every player was on his mettle, ready to do or die 
for the honor of his club. 

Joe remembered the coach's words, and made 
his men play cautiously but stubbornly. On the 
first down three yards were gained and eight yards 
followed. Then, seeing a good opening, the captain 
gave the signal for a run around the right end. 
His players worked the trick successfully, and Paul 
got away with the ball. The Barton Park tackle 
and end got after him, but before he could be 
brought to earth he had gained fifteen yards. 

“ Whoop, that's the way to go it I ” 

“ Hurrah for Paul Shale ! '' 

The cheers were given with a will, and in the 
meantime the ball was put into play once more. It 
was worked up the field to within fifteen yards of 
the line, but then Matt lost it on a fumble, and 
Barton Park worried '' it back almost to the center 
of the field. Then the Park players tried another 
kick and worked like demons to send it along in the 
teeth of the wind that was blowing. But this was 
not to be, and, getting the ball on a fumble, Bart 
Mason started for the line. It was a magnificent 


A GAME OF IMPOETANCE 2^ 

run, and one long remembered. He was almost 
brought down, but managed to pitch himself to 
safety. 

A touchdown for Lakeport ! ’’ 

What a cheering arose! And in the midst of 
this the goal was kicked, and then came another 
outburst of applause. 

Directly after the next kick-off there was a sharp 
exchange of punts, and these ended in Lakeport’s 
favor, and once more their friends cheered. But 
then Barton Park “ took a brace,’’ and with great 
force drove the pigskin directly up the center of 
the field. Gain after gain was made, and it was 
out of the question for Lakeport to stop them. 
A last stand was made two yards from the line, 
but the ball went over in spite of the united efforts 
of the Lakeport center, tackles, and ends to stop it. 

A touchdown for Barton Park ! ” 

‘‘ I don’t think they’ll make the goal in this high 
wind,” said Andy. But he was mistaken, the ball 
sailed squarely between the posts. 

Six to six I Seven minutes more to play ! ” 
Again the pigskin was put into play, and once 
more the battle royal was on. But nothing could 
be done, and when the whistle brought the first half 
to a close the ball was on the Lakeport forty-yard 
line. 


264 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

‘‘ They are certainly playing football to-day/’ 
remarked Harry as he came from the field panting 
for breath. 

I think they are using themselves up fast,” said 
Paul. I have an idea they’ll put in a substitute 
or two in the second half.” And he was right: 
two new men came out. 

“ Now watch for that new play,” whispered 
Joe to his team. ‘‘ Remember the signal for it, 
^ Keep moving! ’’ ” 

The Barton Park eleven were now favored by 
the wind, which was blowing more strongly than 
ever. To get the benefit of this, they tried some 
punting, but the Lakeport lads were on the alert, 
and having gotten possession of the pigskin, Harry 
made a clever run right down the center for twenty 
yards, before his opponents could close in on him. 
Then followed a fierce scrimmage in which two 
players on either side were hurt. But all remained 
in the game. 

''Keep moving!^* suddenly shouted Joe, and in- 
stantly his eleven were on the alert for the new 
play — or at least, a play that was new in the League, 
although it had been tried at one of the leading 
universities only the season before. The pigskin 
was in Lakeport’s possession, and with great rapid- 
ity it was passed to the left. From there it came 


A GAME OF IMPOETANCE 2«5 


to the right and then went directly back. Think- 
ing the half-back was going to try for a run around 
the end, the Barton Park club surged that way, 
but the half-back turned in the opposite direction. 
Again the ball came up the middle of the field, to 
the astonishment of all the onlookers. When the 
runner was finally downed, Lakeport had gained 
twenty-five yards. 

“ Look at that ! There’s a play for you ! ” 

“Now, then, push her over!” 

And over the ball went, before Barton Park had 
time to recover from its astonishment at the odd 
move Lakeport had made. The touchdown failed 
of a goal. 

“ Twelve minutes more to play ! ” was the cry, 
and once more the pigskin went into play. A great 
see-sawing followed, each side fighting desperately 
to increase its score. An exchange of punts fol- 
lowed, and Henry Hancock made a clever run of 
fifteen yards. Then Joe got the ball, and, aided by 
the shifting wind, kicked a long goal from the field. 

This turn of affairs seemed to paralyze Barton 
Park, and during the time that remained they did 
nothing but hold Lakeport back. As a conse- 
quence no more scoring was done. 

With the sounding of the whistle a great yelling 
arose, and horns and rattles added to the din. The 


23iB THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Lakeport boys were instantly surrounded by their 
friends. 

A great victory/’ said Munroe Corsen, and 
Rockley White said the same. As for Carl Bell- 
man, his face was one broad smile. 

“ I knew you could do it — if you tried/’ he cried 
as he shook each player by the hand. 

“ And now to find out what Brookside has done/* 
said Joe anxiously. 


CHAPTER XXIII 


A THANKSGIVING NIGHT ADVENTURE 

The Brookside eleven had played at Cresco with 
Bralham, and the boys of Lakeport were in a fever 
of anxiety regarding the result of the contest. 
News of the game did not come in until supper 
time. 

‘‘Brookside lost!’’ cried Fred, and his eyes 
showed his relief. 

“ That ties us I ” exclaimed Harry. “ Five to 
five.” 

“ Yes, and it ties Bralham and Barton Park, too, 
— three to three,” came from Paul. 

“ Well, the next game will tell the tale,” was 
Joe’s comment. 

“ For us, and for those other clubs, too,” said 
Andy. “ One thing is certain, Bralham is picking 
up.” 

“ We’ll have to think up some new plays for 
the coming Brookside game,” said Walter. “ Some- 
thing that will paralyze them.” 

“ Say, to-day’s victory was great ! ” cried Matt, 
237 


238 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


and in his exuberance of spirits he turned several 
handsprings and then stood on his head. 

“And now for a good feed! ” came from Fred. 
“ I didn’t dare to eat much dinner, — even though 
it was Thanksgiving, — for fear I couldn’t play 
well.” 

“ Ditto here,” said Frank. 

“ Sure an’ I’m going home to the biggest turkey 
drumstick ye iver see,” remarked Teddy Dugan. 

“Yum! yum!” cried Harry, smacking his lips. 
“ That hits me just right, Teddy. I’ll go home 
and do likewise.” And he set off with his brother 
beside him, and soon the whole crowd dispersed. 

As it was a holiday, Mr. Westmore and Mr. 
Rush had closed their places of business and wit- 
nessed the football game. They, too, congratu- 
lated the boys on their victory. 

“ It was good, clean play,” said Mr. Rush. 
“ It took me back to the times when I used to belong 
to an eleven.” 

“ It was not nearly as rough as I was afraid it 
would be,” was Mr. Westmore’s comment. “ How 
do you feel. Toe?” 

“ Fine.” 

“ It didn’t tire you too much ? ” 

“ Oh, I felt somewhat played out after each half, 
father. But I’m over that now.” 


THANKSGIVING NIGHT 239 

When the Westmore boys got home, Laura had 
just come in, having been to the game with Fred’s 
sister, Violet Corsen, and several other girls. 

Rah ! ’rah ! ’rah ! ” cried Laura, walking around 
the dining room waving a banner marked LAKE- 
PORT in big letters. Oh, boys, it was grand, 
delicious, scrumptuous ! ” And going to each she 
gave him a hug and a kiss. 

“ Why, Laura ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Westmore, who 
was aiding the hired girl in placing the supper on 
the table. 

Oh, mother, I can’t keep still— really I can’t ! 
You ought to have seen the game — and how Joe 
and Harry played ! Hurrah for Lakeport ! ” And 
she waved her banner wildly. 

I hope the other girls liked the game,” ob- 
served Joe. 

Oh, they did ! Didn’t you see the whole crowd 
yell when you made those touchdowns ? ” 

I heard somebody yelling.” 

Everybody was there. And, oh, what do you 
think ? ” went on Laura. ‘‘ Si Voup and Ike Board- 
man were there, too, but they didn’t speak to each 
other.” 

That’s on account of the mean way Si acted 
towards Ike when both were caught by the forest 
fire,” said Harry. 


240 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“ Si Voup is the meanest boy in this town,” con- 
tinued Laura. 

“ We all know that,’^ broke in Harry. 

But what do you suppose he did? Told a lot 
of folks in the grand-stand that he was sure the 
Barton Park boys sold out to you — just to aid you 
in getting ahead of Brookside. He said the Barton 
Park boys were sore over the way Brookside treated 
them the last time the two elevens played.’^ 

‘‘ Did anybody pay attention to such twaddle ? ” 
demanded Joe. 

‘‘ A few did. But most of the folks said they 
didn’t believe it.” 

‘‘ There isn’t a grain of truth in it, Laura.” 

Oh, I know that, Joe. Why, everybody could 
see that the Barton Park boys played just as hard 
as they could.” 

‘‘ Come, children ! Supper is ready ! ” called out 
Mrs. Westmore, and then the whole family sat 
down to turkey, cranberry sauce, celery, and numer- 
ous other good things. Because the boys had de- 
clined to eat a big Thanksgiving dinner Mrs. West- 
more had kept a good share of fowl and other 
things back for them. Now they could eat their 
fill, and it is perhaps needless to say that Harry and 
Joe did full justice to what was set before them. 

Supper over, the two boys hurried down to the 


THANKSGIVING NIGHT 241 

clubhouse, there to fight the battle all over again. 
On account of its being a holiday, nearly all the 
business places of Lakeport were closed, so the 
streets were not nearly as light as usual. 

The lads still used Mr. Corsen’s boathouse for 
a meeting place, and to reach it quickly Joe and 
Harry took a short cut through an alleyway which 
ran past the side of Mr. Rush’s hardware store. 
The alleyway was dark, and they had to go slowly, 
for fear of tumbling over some empty boxes or 
crates. 

They were halfway down the alleyway when 
they saw a faint light ahead. Both rightfully took 
it to be the glow of a lighted cigar. Almost the 
moment they saw it the glow disappeared, and they 
heard somebody step on a number of box boards. 
Then all became quiet. 

Some fellow at the other end of the alley,” was 
Joe’s comment. 

Maybe it’s one of the boys,” returned his 
brother. “ But,” he added quickly, none of our 
crowd smoke.” 

They went on, and as they did so, Harry looked 
sharply to one side of the alleyway and Joe to 
the other. Thus they reached a point at the end 
of the Rush building, when Joe saw something 
dark moving behind some piled-up boxes. 


242 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“ Hello, there ! ’’ he called out, coming to a halt, 
and his brother also stopped. 

For the moment there was no reply. The dark 
figure back of the boxes remained stationary. 

** Hello, I say ! ” went on Joe. “ Who are you ? ’’ 
I’m the — watchman,” was the mumbled-out 
answer. Go on, boys, you’ve got no business 
here.” 

“ The watchman? ” repeated Harry. 

Yes. Go on now — don’t hang in this alley- 
way, or I’ll lock you up.” 

I didn’t know Mr. Rush had a watchman,” 
said Joe. 

‘‘ Well, he has. I’m the new man — was hired 
yesterday. Now, you boys skip out, and don’t you 
come hanging around here again.” 

The man spoke in a thick, muffled voice, and 
kept his face hidden as much as possible from 
them. 

Now, as it happened, there had been some talk 
of hiring a private watchman to guard some of 
the Lakeport stores at night, so the man’s words did 
not sound strange to the lads. 

‘‘ We are not hanging around here,” said Harry. 

We are using the alleyway for a short cut.” 

‘‘You clear out!” was all the man answered; 
and then the boys hurried on. 


THANKSGIVING NIGHT 243 

“Wonder who he can be?'’ said Harry specu- 
latively when on the street. 

“ His voice had a familiar sound to it, but I 
couldn’t place it,” replied his brother. 

“ Perhaps he’s some man from the lake.” 

“ Maybe. It’s queer Fred didn’t speak of this — 
or father.” 

“ Oh, Fred was too full of football.” 

In a few minutes more the brothers arrived at 
the clubhouse, and there found Link, Paul, Matt, 
and Walter. The other boys were going over a 
sheet whereon Paul had put down the scores made 
by every club in the League since the opening of the 
season. 

From a discussion of these scores the talk drifted 
to the various plays made. Soon Andy and Henry 
drifted in, followed, half an hour later, by Fred 
and Frank. 

“ Say, Fred, I want to ask you about the new 
watchman your father has hired,” said Joe. “ Who 
is he?” 

“Watchman?” said the stout youth. “Didn’t 
know he had hired one.” 

“We met him in the alleyway to-night. At 
least, he said he was the watchman.” 

“ That’s strange. Father didn’t say a word of 
it to me.” 


244 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“Maybe he wasn’t a watchman at all!” cried 
Harry. “ Maybe he was only a tramp or a thief I 

“ Where did you see him? ” 

“ Behind the boxes near the end of your building. 
He kept so far back in the dark we couldn’t make 
out his face.” 

“ I’m quite sure father hasn’t any watchman.” 

“ Guess you’d better find out about this,” said 
Link. . “ My father says there are lots of sneak 
thieves around Brookside and other places. They 
are drifting in from the summer resorts.” 

“ I’ll go home right now,” answered Fred. 

He started off, and curious to know if anything 
could be wrong, Joe, Harry, and Link went along. 
Mr. Rush was reading a magazine when his son 
came in. 

“Watchman?” he said. “No, I didn’t engage 
any. There was some talk of hiring Tom Mason, 
but it fell through, for some of the store-keepers 
didn’t want to pay the price.” 

“ It wasn’t Tom Mason,” said Harry. “ Tom 
stutters so you’d know his voice at once.” 

“ What are you talking about? ” asked Mr. Rush. 

“We met a man in the alleyway who said he was 
a watchman,” answered Joe, and told some of the 
particulars. 

“ Well 1 Guess I’d better look into this 1 ” cried 


THANKSGIVING NIGHT 245 

the hardware dealer, throwing down his magazine 
and leaping up. Wish you had come here first, 
instead of going to the boathouse/' 

He got his hat and overcoat — for the night was 
cold and was soon on the way with the four 
boys. It was now after nine o’clock and the busi- 
ness portion of Lakeport was practically deserted. 

Just as they reached the entrance to the alleyway 
they heard the noise of a box being kicked over. 
Then came a crash, as if some heavy weight had 
come down on a thin board and broken it. 

“ Something is doing here ! ” cried Mr. Rush, 
and ran into the alleyway with the boys at his heels. 
But in the darkness all had to go slow for fear 
of injury. 

The crash was followed by almost utter silence. 
But then, to their amazement, there circled around 
the alleyway the flash of a dark lantern. 

‘'It’s a burglar!” cried Fred. “Stop, you 
thief ! Stop ! ” he bawled. 

At the sound of his voice there was an exclama- 
tion from somebody down the alleyway. Then the 
dark lantern was closed, and Mr. Rush and those 
with him heard footsteps retreating; 

“ He is running away ! ” exclaimed Joe. 

“ Come on after him ! ” added Link, and he 
leaped to the front. But in his haste he pitched 


246 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

over an empty barrel and rolled headlong, and 
Harry came down on top of him. 

Be careful, boys ! ’’ warned Mr. Rush. ‘‘ This 
alleyway is full of empty cases, barrels, and crates. 
I was going to have it cleaned out to-morrow/^ 

“ He is running away! ” said Fred. 

‘‘ Let us divide,'’ said the hardware dealer. ‘‘ I’ll 
go through the alleyway, while two of you can run 
around Division Street and the other two around 
Lake Street. Maybe, by doing that, somebody will 
head the rascal off.” 

^'All right — Harry and I can take Division 
Street,” cried Joe, and ran off with his brother 
at his heels. Fred and Link likewise came out 
of the alleyway as they had entered, and ran down 
Main Street toward Lake Street. 

The alleyway was not in the middle of the block, 
and Fred and Link had a shorter run to make than 
did Joe and Harry. Consequently they got around 
on the back street and were on their way to the 
other end of the alleyway before the others showed 
themselves. As they came up on a swift run 
they saw a man with a bundle under his arm dart 
from the alleyway and make toward a path leading 
up the lake shore. 

Look I look ! ” cried Fred. ‘‘ Do you see him? ” 
** Yes! ” answered Link. Dan Marcy ! ” 


CHAPTER XXIV 


A CHASE ON THE LAKE 

It was indeed Dan Marcy who had come forth 
from the alleyway. He had his hat pulled far 
down over his forehead and was running at his 
best speed in the direction of Pine Lake. 

‘‘ Stop ! '' called out Link. “ Stop, Dan Marcy ! '' 

At the mention of his name the former town 
bully turned for an instant to look back. He 
did not say a word, however, but continued his 
flight toward the docks that lined the lake front. 

Shall we go after him?'’ questioned Fred. 

‘‘ Sure,” answered the carpenter’s son. ‘‘ See 
that bundle? More than likely it is filled with 
stolen things.” 

Yes, — and from my father’s store.” 

Dan Marcy kept on until he reached a high board 
fence enclosing a dock piled with lumber. A board 
was off at a certain spot, and through the opening 
thus afforded he crawled, pulling his bundle after 
him. The lads noticed that he no longer had his 
dark lantern. 


247 


248 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

There come the others ! ” exclaimed Link, 
glancing back. ‘‘ Hi, this way ! ” he yelled. 
‘‘Come on, Mr. Rush! Come on, Joe! Harry!” 

The others heard the call, and soon all were 
headed for the lumber dock. In the meantime Fred 
had crawled through the opening in the fence, 
leaving the carpenter’s son to guide the others to 
that locality. 

“Did you see him? Where is he?” demanded 
Mr. Rush, as he and the Westmore boys came 
up. 

“ Went through here— Fred after him,” an- 
swered Link. 

“You saw him plainly?” 

“ Oh, yes ! Dan Marcy.” 

“ Humph ! ” muttered the hardware dealer. 
“ See what I picked up at the end of the alleyway. 
I believe he wanted to set something on fire. It 
was on a heap of excelsior and packing cases.” 

He held up the dark lantern, the glass of which 
had been cracked but had not fallen apart. The 
lantern was still lighted. 

“ That will show us the way,” cried Harry, and 
it did after some smoke had been brushed from 
the glass. 

“ Come on ! come on ! ” came in the voice of 
Fred, from behind some piles of lumber, not far 


A CHASE ON THE LAKE 249 


from the edge of the dock. Then followed another 
sound — something of a cry of pain. 

More alarmed than ever the hardware dealer 
leaped to the front, and led the way with the 
lantern, the three boys following. A turn in the 
lane between the high piles of lumber brought 
them upon Fred, who lay on his back, panting for 
air. 

He — he hi — hit me wi — with a piece of bo — 
board ! gasped the stout youth. “ Hit me ri — 
right in the sto — sto — stomach ! 

‘‘ No wonder it knocked you out,’’ answered 
Harry sympathetically. 

I — I tried to cat — catch him by the le — leg, but 
I — I couldn’t,” added Fred. 

“ Which way did he go, Fred? ” asked his parent. 

“ That way ! Oh, dad, I hope you cat — catch 
hi — him ! ” 

‘‘ We’ll try hard enough,” was the grim reply. 

Helping Fred to his feet, the crowd made its 
way among the piles of lumber to the edge of the 
dock. Here a two-masted schooner and several 
smaller craft were tied up. 

There he goes ! ” cried Mr. Rush, and pointed 
out in the lake. Then he sent the rays of the 
dark lantern in that direction, and all saw a small 
sloop with Dan Marcy on board. The mainsail of 


250 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


the craft had been hoisted and loosely fastened, 
and Marcy was now heading up Pine Lake in the 
fair breeze that was blowing. 

‘‘ That’s Mr. Hooper’s boat ! ” cried Joe. He 
is stealing her ! ” 

‘‘Gone!” groaned Fred. “Too bad!” 

“Can’t we go after him?” demanded the car- 
penter’s son. 

“If we only had a motor boat ” began 

Harry. 

“ I know what we can do ! ” cried Joe. “ Follow 
him in the Sprite! She’s over at the next 
dock, — and I know Mr. Shale will let us have 
her.” 

“ Then come on — we have no time to waste,” 
answered Mr. Rush. “But can you handle the 
boat?” he continued anxiously, for he himself was 
not much of a sailor. 

“ Of course we can handle her, father ! ” an- 
swered his son. “ Didn’t we handle her in the 
races? We’ll catch Dan Marcy in no time ! ” And 
his face brightened. The blow from the piece of 
board still hurt him and he wanted to get square 
with Marcy for that if for nothing else. 

Joe did not wait to discuss the situation. He 
was off like a shot, with his brother and Link at 
his heels. They had to leap from one dock to the 


A CHASE ON THE LAKE 251 


next, — a distance of eight feet, — but all being good 
jumpers, this did not bother them. Then they ran 
down to a float where the Sprite was tied up and 
cast off the lines. 

‘‘ Pole her out. Link, while Harry and I hoist 
the mainsail,^^ cried Joe. 

Fortunately the position of the craft was such 
that it could readily be poled up to the lumber 
wharf. Here Fred and Mn Rush leaped on board, 
the latter still carrying the dark lantern. 

Hi, there ! What’s going on here ? ” demanded 
a voice out of the darkness, and a dock watchman 
put in an appearance. 

“Is that you, Farley?” asked the hardware 
dealer. 

“ Oh, so it’s you, Mr. Rush ! And the boys, 
eh?” 

“ Yes. We are going after a thief who just 
went off in Mr. Hooper’s sloop.” 

“ Tell Mr. Shale we took his sloop, the Sprite/^ 
added Joe. “ Otherwise he may worry — if 
he happens to come down and find the boat 
gone.” 

“ I’ll tell him — if I see him,” answered the dock 
watchman. 

With the mainsail set, the sloop was steered out 
into the waters of Pine Lake, and the chase after 


252 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Dan Marcy began. The breeze was strong but 
irregular. Joe took the tiller, and Mr. Rush went 
to the bow, sending the rays of the dark lantern 
as far ahead as possible. 

Can you see anything of him?’’ asked Harry. 

Yes, but he is quite a distance off,” answered 
the hardware dealer. 

“ He’ll do his best to slip us in the dark,” said 
his son. Wish we had a regular searchlight — 
like those on the motor boats.” 

“ We might have chased him in Mr. Corsen’s 
launch,” said Joe. But the launch is a quarter 
of a mile away.” 

“ There is a good, big lamp in the cabin, and 
a strong reflector, too,” said Harry. ‘‘ Wait, I’ll 
light that.” 

He crawled into the cabin, or rather cuddy, and 
brought out the light in question and lit it. Then 
he placed the reflector behind it and swept the 
waters of the lake. 

There is Marcy’s sloop ! ” he cried a few sec- 
onds later. “ He is sailing up the lake just as 
fast as the breeze can carry him ! ” 

He pointed out the direction to his brother, and 
Joe threw over the tiller a few points. Then the 
topsail and the jib were hoisted, and the chase after 
the other craft began in earnest. 


A CHASE ON THE LAKE 253 

Do you suppose Marcy was alone in this ? ’’ 
asked Link. “ Somebody may have been waiting 
on the sloop for him.’’ 

“ I can’t make out who is on the sloop,” an- 
swered Harry. '‘Well, even if he’s got another 
man with him we’ll be five to two.” 

“If we only had a shotgun we might bring him 
to terms as soon as we get near the sloop,” was 
Fred’s comment. 

“ I’d rather not have any shooting,” returned his 
father. “ I’d rather make him a prisoner and turn 
him over to the authorities.” 

On sailed the Sprite, over the silent and dark 
waters of the lake. It was quite cold in the stiff 
breeze and all of the lads and Mr. Rush were glad 
enough to button their coats up tightly. Harry, 
who felt particularly cold, donned a rubber coat he 
found in the cuddy, and presently Link did the 
same. 

“ Well, that sloop is certainly a good one,” was 
Joe’s comment, after nearly a quarter of an hour 
had passed and the craft in front continued to pre- 
serve its lead. 

“ I always thought the Sprite was the best sloop 
on the lake,” grumbled Link. “ She won the 
races, anyway.” 

Fred had moved from the bow to the stern and 


254 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

was peering down into the silent waters. Then 
of a sudden he put down his hand. 

“ Here is something dragging on behind ! he 
declared, and began to pull on a chain. Soon he 
brought up a small piece of an old railroad rail. 

Well, I never t” 

“Humph! Paul must have had that for an 
anchor — to keep the Sprite from swinging into the 
dock,'’ said Joe. “ How foolish I was not to think 
of it ! ” 

“We were all too excited, that’s the trouble,” 
said Mr. Rush. “ Put it on the deck, Fred. Now, 
I fancy, the sloop will make better headway.” 

Freed from the drag the Sprite bowled along 
swiftly on her course. Joe knew exactly how to 
handle the craft, and kept crawling up steadily on 
the other boat. 

“ Marcy 1 you might as well give up I ” cried 
Mr. Rush, when he could see the rascal quite plainly. 
The fellow was alone. 

“ You keep back — if you know what is best for 
you ! ” shouted Dan Marcy. “ I ain’t done nothing 
wrong, and you ain’t got no right to follow 
me!” 

“ We are going to take you back with us,” 
answered Mr. Rush firmly. “ So you may as well 
give up now as later.” 


A CHASE ON THE LAKE 255 


‘‘ Maybe you want to git shot ! ” went on the 
bully harshly. 

“Oh, do you think he’d dare to shoot at us?” 
whispered Link uneasily. 

“ No, I think it’s a bluff,” answered Harry. 
“ He knows he is in trouble enough as it is.” 

After that nothing was said for several minutes. 
Both sloops kept on their course, which was toward 
a spur of land known as Frog Point. 

“ I believe he is getting ready to land ! ” cried 
Harry, as he saw the other sloop veering westward. 

Just then the wind began to die down. The 
calm struck the Sprite first and the mainsail and 
other canvas began to flap idly. 

“ This is too bad ! ” said Joe in dismay. “ We 
might have been up to that other boat in another 
five minutes ! ” 

“ He’ll catch it too,” answered Link. 

They could do nothing but watch the other craft. 
Before the sails ceased to draw the bow of the 
smaller sloop ran up to a small dock at Frog 
Point, — a landing place occasionally used by fisher- 
men. Then out of the boat leaped Dan Marcy. 

“ He is running away ! ” cried Harry. “ My ! 
see him leg it ! ” 

“ He has deserted the sloop,” announced Link. 

The rascal had not even tied the boat fast, and 


256 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


soon it slipped away from the dock. But as the 
Sprite came up Fred, with a boathook, caught hold 
of the smaller sloop and tied that and the larger 
boat fast. 

“ He is making for Berry's woods," announced 
Joe. “ He’ll get away sure unless we can catch 
him soon ! ’’ 

Marcy was running as well as he was able. 
There was a wide meadow to cross, and at the far 
end were a barn and a corn crib. They saw the 
fugitive make for the barn, and imagined that he 
went inside, although they were not sure. 

“If he did go in we’ll soon rout him out," said 
Mr. Rush. 

Coming up to the structure they surrounded it, 
and Mr. Rush went inside. As he did this a man 
ran out of a side door and with long strides made 
for the woods, which were less than a hundred feet 
distant. 

“ There he goes ! After him ! " 

Several cried out together, and once more Mr. 
Rush, Joe, Harry, and Link hurried on. Fred had 
been left behind at the dock to take care of the 
sloops. 

“ Stop ! " yelled Joe, as he entered the woods. 
The man was but a short distance ahead. Then 
the fellow stumbled over some rocks and rolled 


A CHASE ON THE LAKE 257 

over and over down into a hollow filled with bushes 
and water. 

“ I guess we’ve got him now ! ” said Mr. Rush. 
“ It’s about time 1 ” gasped Harry, who was 
winded from running. 

“Marcy, come out of that?’’ called the hard- 
ware dealer, holding up the dark lantern. 

There was no reply, but the man down below 
scrambled up and commenced to splutter. 

He’s about played out,” said Joe. ‘‘ I guess 
he won’t want to show fight.” 


CHAPTER XXV 


DEEP IN THE WOODS 

Evidently it was hard for the man in the 
hollow to get out of the water and mud, for after 
thrashing around for several seconds he uttered 
a cry of dismay. 

Pm stuck ! ’’ he declared in a voice that sounded 
thick and hoarse. 

'' He must have caught an awful cold,’’ thought 
Joe. 

“ Maybe we’ll have to get a rope to help him 
out,” suggested Link. 

‘‘ I’ll go back to the barn for one,” answered 
Harry, and did so without delay. When he got 
back he found that the man had managed to pull 
himself up to some bushes. He eagerly grasped 
the end of the rope when it was extended, and soon 
stood beside those who had pursued him. 

‘‘ Why, it’s not Dan Marcy at all ! ” ejaculated 
Joe in amazement and dismay. 

“ Well, I never ! ” gasped Harry. 

268 


DEEP IN THE WOODS 259 

Why, I was sure it was Marcy when we fol- 
lowed him to the lumber dock,” said the carpenter’s 
son. “ I saw him quite plainly.” 

If that is so, we’ve made some mistake,” said 
Mr. Rush. His face showed his disappointment. 
‘‘Were you on that sloop?” he demanded of the 
stranger. 

“Sloop? What sloop?” asked the man, and 
now all of the others concluded, by his appearance, 
that he was nothing but a tramp. 

“ The sloop we followed from Lakeport ? ” 

“ I ain’t been on no boat fer months,” answered 
the tramp. 

“ Where did you come from ? ” demanded Joe 
sharply. 

“ Come from ? Why, the barn, o’ course. 
Didn’t you fellers chase me out? But I didn’t 
do nuthin’, honest I didn’t,” went on the shiftless 
individual. “ I was just sleepin’ there, that’s 
all.” 

“ Were you in the barn when we came up ? ” 
asked Mr. Rush, a light beginning to break in upon 
him. 

“Sure I was. Didn’t you see me?” 

“Boys, we have made a great mistake. We 
followed Dan Marcy to the barn, and then followed 
this man ! ” cried the hardware dealer. 


260 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Yes, and weVe allowed Marcy to slip us!” 
added Joe bitterly. We’ve had our chase for 
nothing.” 

“ Perhaps Marcy is still around the barn,” sug- 
gested Link, but there was not much hope in his 
tone. 

Oh, he has made good use of his time,” broke 
in Harry. More than likely he is deep in the 
woods by now.” 

They walked back to the vicinity of the barn, 
taking the tramp with them. A lantern showed it- 
self in the distance, and a farmer came running 
up, armed with a shotgun. 

‘‘ What be you a-doin’ here ? ” he demanded. 

How are you, Mr. Plugger ? ” said Mr. Rush. 

Well, neow, ef it hain’t Mr. Rush 1 ” drawled 
Mr. Plugger. “ What brung ye, hey ? ” 

We followed Dan Marcy in a sloop to your 
shore front. He ran this way and disappeared, and 
then we unearthed this fellow, who was sleeping 
in your barn.” 

‘‘ Yeou don’t tell me! Sleepin’ in my barn, hey? 
Wot right have yeou got to sleep thar, hey ? ” 
demanded the farmer of the tramp. 

‘‘ I didn’t hurt nuthin’, honest I didn’t, mister,” 
pleaded the knight of the road. “ I was jess on 
my way from Brookside to Lakeport, an’ as I 


DEEP IN THE WOODS 261 

didn’t have the price o’ a night’s lodgin’, I cravi'led 
in here, that’s all.’' 

I don’t like tramps an’ sech vagabonds,” said 
Mr. Plugger. They steal too many eggs an’ 
chickens, and garden stuff, they do! I’ve got a 
good mind to have yeou arrested.” 

Please don’t ye do it ! ” cried the tramp. 

'' Yeou’ve been around here a powerful lot lately 
— I seed yeou many the time, yeou can’t deny 
it.” 

‘‘ I’ve been around Brookside — ^tryin’ to find my 
brother,” said the tramp. 

'' Tell me, if you have been staying in this 
locality, did you ever see a man camping in the 
woods who didn’t look like a tramp, — a fellow 
named Dan Marcy ? ” asked Joe eagerly. 

‘‘ How does he look ? ” 

As well as they were able Joe and the others 
described the former bully of Lakeport. 

“Sure, I see that feller, —half a dozen times!” 
cried the tramp. Onct I asked him fer a lift — 
money, yer know — but he wouldn’t give me none. 
We was on the road over yonder. Then a farmer 
came along with a wagon, an’ that feller he skipped 
into the bushes an’ out o’ sight in jig time. I 
made up my mind he’d done something wrong an’ 
didn’t want to be seen.” 


262 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

‘'Why didn’t you follow him?” asked Joe. 
“Weren’t you curious?” 

“ Not just then I wasn’t, fer I wanted something 
to eat, an’ the farmer promised me a dinner if I’d 
help him with some hay. I helped 'him, but it 
nearly broke my back.” The tramp sighed at the 
recollection, for he despised work. “ One day I 
was cornin’ through the woods an’ I see him sneakin’ 
around, watching two young fellers wot was pick- 
ing up nuts. All at onct he up with a club an’ 
knocks one o’ the fellers senseless, an’ then he 
knocks the other too, an’ then he runs away. I 
wanted to help the young fellers, but I was scared; 
fer I thought they’d think I did it. Byme-by the 
young fellers got up and staggered into the road, 
an’ a farmer took them along in his wagon.” 

“ I understand it now ! ” cried Harry. “ The 
young fellows were Si Voup and Ike Boardman. 
When was this ? ” 

The tramp thought a moment. 

“ The day the hay barge caught fire on the 
lake.” 

“ The very day ! ” cried the boy. ‘‘ That clears 
us of that accusation.” 

“ Quite a while after that I met that feller ag’in,” 
went on the tramp. “ He had a bundle under his 
arm. He was sneakin’ along a path some distance 


DEEP IN THE WOODS 263 

back o’ here. I was that curus I followed him 
into the woods, an’ then, all to onct, he disappeared 
right afore my eyes, just like he was a — a spirit! ” 

‘‘ He must have some kind of a cave in the 
woods I ” declared Harry. 

“If he has, I wish we would find it!” added 
Joe. 

“Could you take us to the spot where he dis- 
appeared ? ” asked Mr. Rush of the tramp. 

“ I could if it was light. It’s pretty hard to 
follow a path in the woods in the dark.” 

“Let us try it to-morrow,” said Link eagerly. 

“ I’ve got to tend to business to-morrow,” an- 
swered the hardware dealer. “ But you boys and 
Fred might try it,” he added, after a moment’s 
thought. “ You’ve got no school.” For the local 
academy had closed the day before Thanksgiving 
for the remainder of the week. 

A few minutes later the crowd was joined by 
Fred, who had gotten impatient waiting for them 
at the landing. Matters were talked over, and it 
was finally settled that Fred, Harry, and Joe should 
remain at Mr. Plugger’s house all night, while Mr. 
Rush and Link returned to Lakeport in the sloop 
stolen by Dan Marcy. In the morning the boys 
at the farmhouse were to take the tramp as a guide 
and try to locate Marcy’s hangout. 


264 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


'‘Will you stay until morning?” asked Mr. 
Rush of the tramp. 

“ I sure will — if you’ll give me breakfast.” 

“ You shall have your breakfast, — and a dollar 
if you lead us to that man’s camp,” answered Joe. 
“ I’ll pay for his breakfast,” he added to the 
farmer. 

It was so cold the boys were glad to get indoors, 
while Mr. Rush and Link hurried down to the 
landing place and cast off. The tramp was allowed 
to return to the barn, but was cautioned by Mr. 
Plugger not to smoke. 

" Don’t yer worry about that,” said the shiftless 
one. " I ain’t got no terbacker.” 

“ A good thing,” was the farmer’s comment. 

The boys were taken to the house and placed in 
a big spare room that had two beds in it. The 
room was cold and they were glad enough to 
undress and get between the warm covers. Mr. 
Plugger dealt with both Mr. Rush and Mr. West- 
more and was glad to accommodate the lads. He 
knew something about Dan Marcy and his mis- 
deeds, and hoped they would be able to bring the 
rascal to justice. 

Despite the excitement of the past few hours, 
the boys slept soundly, and they did not awaken 
until they heard the farmer calling them. 


deep in the woods 265 

“ Said yeou wanted to git up at seven o’clock! ” 
bawled Mr. Plugger from the foot of the stairs. 

Well, it ain’t goin’ to be seven again, not by 
six minits ! 

“ We’ll be 'down in the shake of a lamb’s tail! ” 
answered Joe, leaping up and beginning to dress. 
The others did likewise; and soon the three lads 
went below, where the farmer’s wife gave them 
a good breakfast of buckwheat cakes and molasses, 
home-made sausage and coffee. 

“ This touches the spot,” said Harry, smacking 
his lips. 

While the boys were eating, the tramp was fed 
in the kitchen. The fact that he was to go on 
a mission that might net him a dollar had filled 
the knight of the road with enthusiasm, and he 
had actually gone to the trouble of washing his 
hands and face and trying to comb his tangled 
hair. 

Want me to go along? ’’ asked Mr. Plugger. 

You can suit yourself,” answered Joe. 

I kin take the shotgun.” 

Why, yes, come on, Mr. Plugger if you can 
spare the time,’^ said Fred. “ We may have quite 
a tussle if we corner Marcy.” 

'' Won't be much o’ a tussle ef I fill him with 
shot,” answered the farmer grimly. In a small 


266 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

way he was a ready hunter, and knew how to handle 
his firearm fairly well. 

By eight o’clock the party was on its way, the 
tramp and Joe taking the lead. As they did not 
know how long they would be out, they took with 
them a generous lunch which Mrs. Plugger pro- 
vided, stowing it away in the farmer’s big game 
bag. 

The tramp appeared to know the way perfectly, 
and presently confided to Joe that he had lived 
in the woods for a considerable length of time. 
He was rather a harmless fellow, and in the sum- 
mer loved to spend all his time in fishing, and 
in showing sportsmen the best fishing places. The 
boys did not doubt that he would occasionally 
steal something to eat, but nothing more. He said 
he had a brother and some other relatives who 
occasionally gave him a little money — part of the 
rent of a house that belonged to his grandmother’s 
estate. 

As they got deeper and deeper into the woods 
the party found the route exceedingly rough. 
There were sharp rocks to climb, and often the 
bushes were of the thorny kind and dense. They 
were glad to rest whenever the tramp suggested it, 
which was often. 

‘‘ Ain’t no ust to hurry in this life,” said the 


DEEP IN THE WOODS 267 

trainp. Folks as hurries usually dies nervous- 
ness/’ 

“No fear of this tramp dying that way,” whis- 
pered Harry to Fred. 

“ Well, I’m glad to rest once in a while myself,” 
answered his stout friend. 

By ten o’clock they calculated that they had cov- 
ered several miles. Mr. Plugger began to grow 
suspicious and turned to the guide. 

“Are yeou sure yeou’re on the right road?” 
he queried. 

“ Sure,” responded the tramp. “ We’ll be there 
in a few minutes now.” 

“No wonder we have not been able to locate 
Marcy — if he keeps himself so far back in the 
woods,” was Joe’s comment. 

“ If we are close to his hangout we ought to 
keep quiet,” advised Fred. 

“ Yes, make as little noise as possible now,” said 
Joe. And keep your eyes and ears wide open. 
If we are careful we may be able to surprise 
him.” 

Presently they reached a spot where the trees 
were more scattered. Off to the left of the path, 
which was now little more than a wild animal trail, 
were a series of high rocks, ending, further on, 
in a regular cliff. 


268 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

‘‘Hark! I hear something!” said Harry in a 
whisper. 

“ Somebody walking along the rocks,” answered 
his brother in an equally low tone of voice. 

All strained their eyes to catch a sight of the 
person they had heard. Soon Fred pointed to an 
opening in the rocks. 

“ Look — something is moving there,” he said. 

“ I see it,” said the tramp. “ But, say,” he 
added excitedly, “ that ain’t no man ! ” 

“ What is it, then? ” asked the others. 

“What is it?” repeated Mr. Plugger before the 
others could speak. “ It’s a bear — a big bear, thet's 
wot it is ! ” 


CHAPTER XXVI 

AN ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR 
A BEAR ! ” 

Yes, and he is heading this way ! ” 

Say, lets get out of here! I don^t want to 
be chewed up ! ’’ 

Such were some of the exclamations which fol- 
lowed the discovery that the big dark object be- 
tween the rocks ahead of the party was a bear. 

Oh, if I only had my rifle ! ’’ said Joe wistfully. 

'' If we were all armed ! added Fred. 

''Say, I ain’t got no ust for bears!” cried the 
tramp, and started to retreat. He loved to fish, but 
he was not a hunter. 

"Wait — ril give him a dose o’ shot!” came 
from Mr. Plugger. 

Is it buckshot ? ” queried Harry quickly. 

" No, bird shot.” 

" It won’t do much good.” 

" It will worry the bear, and if he gets ugly he 
may attack us,” added Joe. 

While the crowd were talking the bear came out 
269 


210 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

on the rocks. Then of a sudden he saw the boys 
and men and let out a snort of surprise. 

Bang! 

Mr. Plugger’s shotgun spoke up before the boys 
had time to say another word. If the truth must 
be told, the farmer was rather scared and he let 
drive before he thought twice. The bear was hit, 
but the bird shot did little more than irritate the 
huge beast. With a growl he stood upright, then 
dropped down, and came after the party with sur- 
prising agility. 

“ He’s a-comin’ 1 ” yelled the tramp, and turn- 
ing he took to his heels with a speed that was truly 
astonishing in one who had lived such an indolent 
life. 

“Run, or he’ll kill somebody!” shrieked Fred, 
and he, too, started to retreat. 

Bang ! went the shotgun a second time, and now 
bruin let out a roar of pain, for some of the bird 
shot had landed on the beast’s nose. He came 
straight for Fred and Harry, who happened to be 
standing close together. 

The boys ran, but did not go far, for before 
them arose some steep rocks. They looked back 
in dismay. The bear was almost upon them. 

“ Into the tree, Fred ! ” gasped Harry, and caught 
hold of a branch that was handy. The stout youth 


ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR 271 

did the same, and up they scrambled with more 
speed than grace. Harry tore his trousers, but, 
just then, paid no attention to the mishap. 

The others retreated to a distance, — the tramp 
out of sight and hearing. Fred and Harry stood 
on the branch, holding fast to another limb above 
them. The bear paused beneath the tree and looked 
up in commingled speculation and pain. The blood 
was running from the shot wounds in his nose and 
this made him savage. 

He looks as if he^d like to chew us up,” was 
Harry’s observation, as he looked down upon the 
bear and shivered. 

‘‘ Do — do you think he’ll cli — climb up the tree? ” 
stammered the corpulent youth. It was all he could 
do to get his breath, so violent had been his ex- 
ertions. 

Perhaps — we had better try to get ready for 
him.” 

How?” 

‘‘ Cut a stick. We can hit him on the head then 
— if he comes.” 

Each youth had a pocketknife and each cut a 
stick with all possible speed. But the bear showed 
no inclination to come up the tree. The beast 
squatted beneath, and began to wash his wounded 
nose with his paw. 


272 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


In the meantime Joe and the farmer had retreated 
to a considerable distance. Mr. Plugger, as soon 
as he stopped, proceeded to reload the double- 
barreled shotgun. 

“ Wait a minute, Mr. Plugger,^’ said Joe after 
he saw that his brother and Fred had climbed into 
the tree and were, at least for the time being, safe. 

^‘Wot is it, Joe?’^ 

Haven't you got anything heavier than bird 
shot?” 

Sure — ^buckshot.” 

Then load with that — and put in plenty of 'em, 
and plenty of powder, too.'' 

“ I will — although I don't want this ole gun o' 
mine to bust,'’ returned Mr. Plugger. 

It did not take long to load the shotgun with 
two heavy charges. This accomplished, the farmer 
took a position on a rock and aimed the firearm 
at the bear. 

‘^Wait! wait!'' cried Joe. 

What fer?'’ 

‘‘ I wouldn't try to reach him from here. You 
are too far off. Crawl up as close as you can get.” 

‘‘ Humph I I ain't a-takin' no chances on sech 
a savage critter,'’ expostulated Mr. Plugger. In 
all his hunting experience this was the first time he 
had found himself face to face with such big game. 


ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR 273 

Then let me have the gun — IVe brought down 
a bear before,” said Joe, — at least, I’ve helped to 
bring ’em down.” 

“ Ain’t you afraid ? ” 

No.” 

‘‘All right then, take the gun. My eyesight 
ain’t none too good,” explained the farmer lamely. 

Joe was glad to gain possession of the weapon. 
As the readers of “ The Gun Club Boys of Lake- 
port ” know, Joe was a splendid shot, and rarely 
did he get nervous when drawing a bead on game. 
He advanced slowly but steadily, his eyes on bruin 
and his finger on the trigger of barrel number one. 

The bear was now drawing closer to the tree 
trunk. He gazed wistfully aloft at the two boys, 
and then put his forepaws on the tree. 

“ He is coming up ! ” gasped Fred. “ Oh, Harry, 
supposing we can’t keep him back ! ” 

“ Whack him good before he has a chance to 
reach a branch,” said Harry. “ It’s our only hope ! ” 

Trembling in spite of themselves, the boys in 
the tree awaited the approach of the big creature. 

“Now then!” cried Fred presently. “Whack 
him!” 

He bent down, and so did Harry. But before 
they could make use of their sticks the shotgun 
in the hands of Joe rang out sharply. The aim of 


274 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


the youth was true, and the heavy charge of buck- 
shot tore through the vitals of the bear. The beast 
gave a leap from the tree, uttered a wild growl 
of rage and pain, and then fell to the ground, 
writhing and turning, first in one direction and 
then in another. 

Good ! ” yelled Harry, much relieved. That’s 
the way to do it. Give him another and he’ll be 
done for ! ” 

I’m going to,” answered Joe, and now he 
rushed in fearlessly, and, watching his chance, put 
the shotgun close to the throat of the bear. There 
was another roar from the firearm, and this time 
the heavy charge kicked back and took Joe from 
his feet. The leaden hail tore the windpipe of 
the bear to shreds, and with several convulsive jerks 
the big creature stretched out and finally lay still. 

Is — is he dea — dead ? ” asked Mr. Plugger, 
coming up with great caution after Joe had regained 
his feet. 

“If he isn’t he’s pretty close to it,” was Joe’s 
reply. “ Here, you had better reload. There may 
be more bears around.” ’ 

“ Gee shoo ! Perhaps we better git right out o’ 
this neighborhood ! ” cried the farmer. Then he 
proceeded to reload with vigor, glancing around 
nervously as he did so. 



“ He is coming up ! ” gasped Fred. — Page 273 . 





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ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR 275 


Feeling that the danger was over, Fred and 
Harry came down out of the tree. The bear was 
dead beyond a doubt, and all present inspected the 
big game with interest. 

“ I want that pelt,” said Joe, ‘‘ and some of the 
meat.” 

‘‘We might divide the meat,” suggested Harry. 

“ That will suit me,” said Mr. Plugger. “ I 
ain’t eat many bear steaks in my life, an’ I’d like 
to eat another.” 

“ I wish Joel Runnell could see this,” went on 
Joe. 

“ He’d give you a good deal of credit for bring- 
ing him down all alone, Joe,” remarked Fred. 
“ Those were two dandy shots.” 

“Where’s the tramp?” asked Harry, gazing 
around suddenly. 

“ He legged it good — when we spotted the 
bear,” explained Mf. Plugger. He did not add 
that after his shot he had felt like running him- 
self. 

“And Dan Marcy! We have forgotten what 
brought us here ! ” cried Joe. 

“ Well, if Marcy heard this shooting he probably 
dusted out,” said Fred, “ especially if he saw who 
we were.” 

“Hello, Jack Baldy!” yelled Harry, calling for 


276 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


the tramp. “ Come back here ! The bear is 
dead ! ” 

He continued to call for the tramp, and presently 
they saw Jack Baldy coming down the path slowly 
and suspiciously. 

Sure he’s dead ? ” he asked anxiously. Some- 
times b’ars like thet only play off — to git a chance 
to chew yer up ! ” 

“ Oh, he’s as dead as a salted mackerel,” an- 
swered Joe. “ You needn’t be afraid of him any 
more. Now show us where Dan Marcy’s hangout 
is, and don’t waste any time either.” 

More’n likely yer scart him off.” 

Well, we want to see his hangout anyway,” 
said Fred. 

Come along with thet shotgun — might be more 
b’ars around,” said the tramp, and then he and 
Mr. Plugger took the lead. 

They passed along the edge of the cliffs and 
then came to another series of rough rocks. Here 
was a spring of clear cold water and all were glad 
to slake their thirst. 

Thet hangout is right over yonder,” said the 
tramp, pointing to a split in the rocks. Over the 
top of the split several tree branches had been 
placed, and the whole had been covered with birch 
and other bark. 


ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR 277 

I see smoke ! ’’ whispered Fred. Somebody 
has a fire ! '' 

Smoke was certainly curling from the back of 
the split in the rocks. In front they saw some 
cut-up wood and the remains of several tin cans 
and a pile of chicken feathers and egg shells. 

‘‘ Dan Marcy ! If you are in there, you may as 
well come out ! ” called Joe, as they drew closer. 

He waited for a moment, but no reply came back, 
nor did anybody appear. 

Might as well go right in,” said Harry, ad- 
vancing. 

‘‘ Be careful — he may do something,” cried Mr. 
Plugger. The encounter with the bear had some- 
what unnerved him. 

He won’t dare — with so many of us here,” 
replied the boy, and entered the opening between 
the rocks. He found a place about eight feet 
wide and twenty feet deep. At the back was a 
camp-fire which somebody had tried to kick out 
in haste. 

‘'Marcy, are you here?” he called out. Then 
the others came in. 

“ The bird has flown, to use the language of the 
poet,” said Joe, gazing around disappointedly. 

“ He — or somebody — ^has certainly been here,” 
said Fred. “ That fire has some fresh wood on it.” 


278 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

He must have run away while we were having 
our rumpus with the bear/’ was Joe^s comment. 

Too bad! Wonder where he went to? ” 

If youse was Injuns yer might trail him like,” 
said the tramp, but nobody paid attention to this 
remark. Jack Baldy was wondering if he would 
get the dollar Joe had promised him. 

The whole party gazed around the hangout with 
interest. In a corner was a wooden box, with a 
strap which could be slung over one’s shoulder. 
Joe lifted the lid of the box and gazed inside. 

Well, I never! ” he cried. “ Look here! ” 


CHAPTER XXVII 


SOMETHING ABOUT A PLOT 

All crowded around Joe anxious to see what 
he had discovered. He pulled from the bottom of 
the box a sheet of wrapping paper. 

‘‘ See the address on this ? '' he asked, holding 
it up. 

“ Why, it is addressed to Mr. Munroe Corsen ! 
ejaculated his brother. 

“ And it’s got an express label on it,” added Fred. 

“ Exactly, and I am sure this paper was around 
the express package that was stolen at the time 
of the train wreck,” continued Joe. “ This proves 
to me beyond a doubt that Dan Marcy was the 
thief on that occasion.” 

“ Perhaps he misplaced the switch,” said his 
brother. 

“ More than likely — I think him equal to any 
villainy.” 

After that they took a careful look around the 
place. Near the fire they found another bit of 
paper, partly burned. It was from a religious 
279 


280 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


magazine, a cheap publication, and bore on it a 
printed address. 

“ He took this from the Preter cottage,’’ said 
Fred. It’s got Mr. Preter’s name on it.” 

In one corner they found a flat stone. Turning 
this over, a small hollow was revealed and in this 
was a package done up in brown paper. 

One of the express packages ! ” cried Harry. 
‘‘ The one Mr. Bellman lost.” 

“ Yes, and it contains that photograph of his 
mother Mr. Bellman said he prized so highly,” 
returned Fred. “ The silver and gold frame is 
gone, but Mr. Bellman won’t mind that so much. 
He wanted the picture, for it was the only one 
he owned.” 

There was nothing more of value to be found 
in the hangout, and after another look around, the 
party left the place. The tramp looked anxiously 
at Joe. 

‘‘Say, don’t yer think I earned that dollar?” 
he asked at last. 

“ I don’t know, — ^but you shall have it,” was the 
reply, and the youth handed over the money, much 
to the shiftless fellow’s satisfaction. 

“ If you ever see this Marcy again, send me 
word,” went on Joe, and the tramp promised that 
he would do so. 


SOMETHINGABOUTAPLOT 281 

All felt that to look for Marcy further would 
be useless, and so they returned to where the bear 
had been left. The game was skinned and cut up, 
and each carried a heavy load to the Plugger farm- 
house. The tramp groaned a good deal over the 
work, but he was not allowed to shirk, and, as a 
reward, Mrs. Plugger provided him with a good 
dinner. Then he took his departure. 

The boys remained at the farmhouse for dinner 
also, and at two o’clock took the bear skin and 
some of the meat down to the Sprite, and set sail 
for home. 

‘‘ Well, it wasn’t such a bad outing after all,” 
said Joe as he looked the bear pelt over. Secretly 
he was very proud of having laid the animal low. 

“ We’ll have to go out hunting once more this 
winter,” returned Fred. The gun club’s winter 
on Pine Island had been a great delight to him. 

“ That’s right — and we’ll have to try for a few 
bears, too,” added Harry. 

As the Sprite came up to the dock at Lakeport, 
Paul and Andy came rushing to greet them. 

“ Did you get Marcy ? ” was the question asked 
by Paul. 

‘‘ No — he got away,” answered Joe. 

‘‘ That’s too bad,” put in Andy. Say, do you 
know what he did?” 


282 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


‘‘ Got something from my father’s store,” an- 
swered Fred. 

More than that.” 

‘‘What?” asked Harry. 

“ Robbed your father’s store, too.” 

“bur store!” burst out Joe. “What did he 
take?” 

“ All the money that was in the cash drawer — 
about sixteen dollars — and a few small things that 
were lying around. He must have gone to your 
father’s store before he went over to Mr. 
Rush’s.” 

“Did you ever!” murmured Harry. “Well, 
he said he’d get square with us ! ” he added bitterly. 
“No use in talking, such a rascal as he is has got 
to be rounded up ! ” 

“Just what everybody in Lakeport says,” an- 
swered Paul. 

The news soon spread that Joe had shot a big 
bear, and the pelt was hung up in front of Mr. 
Westmore’s store for general inspection. Many 
praised the lad, but Si Voup “ stuck up his nose,” 
as was usual with him. 

“ I guess the bear was old and half dead,” he 
said to another boy. 

“ Sour grapes. Si,” was the quick reply, and the 
boy squinted at the rich bully in a manner that 


SOMETHING ABOUT A PLOT 283 

made Si very angry. He wanted to say something 
in return, but the boy did not wait but ran 
off. 

Both Mr. Voup and Mr. Boardman had been 
told of what the tramp had said about seeing Si 
and Ike attacked by Marcy in the wpods. They 
hardly believed the story, yet it made them drop 
all contemplated proceedings against Harry and 
his chums. 

Si and Ike Boardman were still on the outs,’’ 
and did not notice each other. Each felt lonely, 
but Ike was not willing to forgive his crony for 
having deserted him during the forest fire. Ike 
had a few lads with whom he could associate, but 
Si did not have a soul — at least in Lakeport, — 
although lately he had made several friends in 
Brookside. 

Wish the old man would move to Brookside,” 
he muttered to himself one day. “ Lakeport is too 
slow for me, and all the boys are of the milk-and- 
water sort.’^ 

The friends Si had made in Brookside were a 
wild lot, given to smoking, drinking, and gambling. 
They frequented a resort called the Leisure Hours 
Club, where there were billiard and pool tables, 
a bowling alley, and a card room. Here they 
spent many hours which might have been passed 


284 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


elsewhere with much more profit, and without loss 
of self-respect. 

Among the fellows Si met at the resort was one 
named Chet Groik, — a tall, slim individual, with 
heavy black hair and penetrating black eyes. 
Groik’s father had been a racetrack gambler and 
had managed to accumulate considerable money. 
The passion for gambling had been inherited by 
the son, and Chet was willing to bet, one way or 
another, upon every occasion that offered. He 
and Si often played cards, and on one occasion 
the Brookside youth won twelve dollars from the 
Lakeport lad. 

‘‘You know too much about cards for me,’’ 
said Si. 

“It was luck, that’s all,” answered Chet care- 
lessly. But it was no such thing — he had cheated 
Si, although the other never suspected it. 

The boys occasionally talked about football mat- 
ters. Chet was interested in a general way in the 
Brookside club, although he was far from being 
intimate with George Dixon and the other players. 
He had wanted to join the club once, but nobody 
had cared to propose him for membership. 

“George Dixon is the whole thing,” said Chet 
to Si. “ Without Dixon the eleven wouldn’t 
amount to a hill of beans.” 


SOMETHINGABOUTAPLOT 285 


“ Oh,, some of the other fellows play pretty 
well,’’ answered Si. 

“ Only because Dixon directs them. He’s a 
wonderful player and captain — no two ways about 
it.” 

That very evening Chet Groik and Si played 
cards again. Si had with him (and this Chet 
found out) a hundred dollars which Mr. Voup had 
given his son for the purpose of paying a painter’s 
bill, the painter having asked for the cash. Chet was 
eager for money, and gradually he led poor Si on, 
until he lost first ten dollars, then twenty, then 
fifty, and at last the whole hundred. Toward the 
end of the playing Chet made several false plays 
so openly that at last the Lakeport lad grew 
suspicious. 

‘‘You cheated me!” he cried finally, when he 
saw that all the money was gone. 

‘‘I did not!” returned Chet. ‘‘The play was 
perfectly fair.” 

Si argued and threatened, but Chet Groik was 
obdurate, and at last the youth from Lakeport did 
not know what to do. He did not dare to go 
home and tell his father that he had gambled away 
the money, and he was afraid the painter would 
come in a day or two and demand the payment 
of his bill, already overdue. 


286 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

Say, I’ll give you the money back on one con- 
dition,” said Chet at last. 

Name it,” answered Si eagerly. 

That you will aid me in making two or three 
times that amount.’^ 

“How can I do that?” 

“ Easily enough.” 

“ You’ll have to explain.” 

“I’ve got a plan for making a regular barrel 
of money,” whispered Chet Groik. “ But I’ve got 
to have somebody like you to aid me — or I can’t 
work the scheme.” 

“ What is the plan ? ” 

“ Can I trust you, Si ? ” 

“ Certainly.” 

“ But this business is a bit — er — shady.” 

“ What do you want to do? ” 

“ You remember what I said about George 
Dixon? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Well, I want to make everybody believe he is 
going to play this last game with Lakeport, — 
and then I want Dixon to disappear.” 

“ Disappear ? ” 

“ Exactly — until after the game.” 

“But how is that going to aid you?” 

“ Listen. I know a bunch of rich fellows over 


SOMETHINGABOUTAPLOT 287 

to Barton Park and up to Cresco that are willing 
to wager that Brookside comes out at the top of 
the League. Some of the fellows at Lakeport are 
willing to bet the same way. My idea is to take 
these fellows up. With the hundred I just won 
from you I can put up two hundred and fifty dollars. 
If I can get odds Lll likely stand to win five or 
six hundred dollars. If you’ll aid me one-half 
of the winnings shall be yours.” 

‘‘ But getting Dixon out of the way may not 
lose the game to Brookside.” 

'' It will. Roy Willetts is on the sick list and 
so is Fred Boles. Dick Radwood’s father is in 
Buffalo, and I can send Dick a fake telegram, ask- 
ing him to come on at once. Thus, with Dixon 
out of it, the Brookside eleven will be hopelessly 
crippled and will be sure to lose.” 

And Lakeport will win ! ” answered Si bitterly. 

“ What do you care — if you make that money? ” 
demanded Chet almost savagely. 

I wish it was some other club in the League. 

I don’t want Lakeport to win anything.” 

Oh, what’s such a victory anyway ? It will 
be forgotten in a few days. If you want to make 
money say so. ” 

“ What do you want me to do ? ” 

You’ve got a telephone, haven’t you?” 


288 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

‘‘ Yes.” 

“ Then I’ll explain.” 

Chet Groik started to talk in a low tone. But 
others had come into the place, so he and Si were 
compelled to go outside. At the corner of the 
street they conversed for fully half an hour. 

And now, will you do it or not ? ” asked Chet 
at last. 

“ I will,” answered Si. 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


WHAT THE TELEPHONE TOLD 

Joe was reading a book and waiting for supper 
at the same time, when Bart Mason burst into the 
house like a cyclone. 

“ Say, I want to see you right away ! cried the 
full-back of the eleven. 

“ What’s the matter — something gone wrong ? ” 
demanded Joe, thinking of his fellow club-members 
and the coming game with Brookside. It may be 
added here that this last great game had been 
postponed several days, on account of a heavy rain 
that had rendered the field unfit for use. 

“ Just heard something over the telephone,” an- 
swered Bart. Something Si Voup was telling to 
George Dixon.” 

‘‘ About us ? ” 

“ Yes — that is. Si didn’t explain matters. But 
he made an appointment with George.” 

How did you come to hear this, Bart ? ” 

‘‘ Why, easily enough. Ours is a four-party 
wire, and the Voups are on the same circuit. I 
289 


290 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Opened up to call somebody else and I heard Si 
talking. I couldn’t help but listen, although I admit 
it wasn’t very nice. Joe, something is in the air. 
Si Voup is going to do something to down us — 
if he can. It’s something underhanded.” Bart 
was plainly excited. 

“Tell me just what you heard?” 

“ I didn’t catch the beginning of the conversation, 
but I heard enough. Si is going to meet George 
Dixon to-morrow afternoon, at Catlan’s Hotel. He 
said he’d take George back to Brookside in his 
motor boat. He is going to give George valuable 
information.” 

“About us?” 

“ Yes.” 

Joe became silent. Evidently something was in- 
deed “ in the wind.” What was it? 

“ I’ll be down to the clubhouse after supper — 
and we can talk it over there,” he said at length; 
and so it was arranged. 

When Joe and Harry went down to the club- 
house they found several of the eleven already 
there discussing the prospects of the coming 
game. 

“ What do you think ! ” cried Henry Hancock. 
“ Si Voup is betting that Lakeport will win ! ” 

“ Humph ! He must be doing that to curry 


THE TELEPHONE 291 

favor!’’ answered Fred. “Since Ike Boardman 
went back on him he hasn’t a friend left.” 

Joe and Bart exchanged glances. The mystery 
of the telephone message seemed to be getting 
deeper. If Si was going to give George Dixon 
information of value against Lakeport why should 
the rich bully put up money in favor of the town 
club? 

Perhaps he’s going to hand Dixon a lemon,” 
suggested Bart, meaning by “lemon” something 
disagreeable. 

The affair was talked over with Fred. Harry 
already knew of it, and he suggested that they 
watch Si Voup closely. Then the matter was men- 
tioned to Walter. 

I saw Si in Brookside yesterday,’^ said Walter. 
‘‘He was with a fellow named Groik — a chap 
that hangs around that Leisure Hours Club. The 
two seem to be very thick somehow.” 

Groik! ” cried Fred. “ Why, he is the son of 
a gambler! He tried to get into the Brookside 
club, but George Dixon and the others wouldn’t 
have him.” 

“ I am going to call up A1 Lemming on the 
telephone,” said Joe. “ I know his family has one.” 

He went to the nearest station and was soon put 
on the Brookside wire. As luck would have it 


292 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

Al Lemming was at home and quite willing to talk 
about Chet Groik and Si Voup. 

Groik is a bad one/’ said the Brookside boy 
over the wire. ‘‘ He is mad because we wouldn’t 
take him in and is betting heavily that we will 
lose.” 

‘‘ Do you know anything about Si Voup — I mean 
what he is doing?” asked Joe. 

“ He asked George Dixon something — I don’t 
know what. I think George is to see him. But, 
Joe, don’t think that we’ll stand for anything under- 
handed,” went on the Brookside player earnestly. 

‘‘ I know that, Al,” answered the Lakeport foot- 
ball captain. 

Joe came away from the telephone booth feeling 
that something was wrong. But what it was he 
could not tell. He rejoined his brother and the 
others, and the matter was again discussed. 

“ If we only knew what Si Voup wants to tell,” 
said Fred. Then of a sudden he uttered a low 
whistle and banged his fist in his palm. “Just 
the thing ! ” 

“What is just the thing, Fred?” asked Harry. 

“Wait!” Fred turned to Walter. “Listen,” 
he went on. “ How are you this afternoon, fel- 
lows ? ” he said in a peculiar drawl. 

“What’s the riddle?” asked Harry. 


THE TELEPHONE 293 

“ Walter, who did that sound like? ” asked Fred. 

“ Sound like? '' repeated Walter. “ Why er 

yes, it sounded like Chet Groik! He drawls like 
that.’’ 

Good ! Then I guess I can imitate Chet Groik 
over the telephone,” continued Fred triumphantly. 

Are you going to talk to Si?” demanded Joe, 
a light breaking in on him. 

Yes. You can come with me — and so can 
Bart. We can all listen to what Si says, and 
perhaps you can steer me along in the talk. He 
may open his heart — if he thinks he is talking to 
Groik.” 

Never realizing how close they were on the track 
of Si and Groik, they went to a public telephone 
station, and called up the Voup mansion. Mrs. 
Voup answered the call. 

I’d like to talk to Si, please,” said Fred in a 
drawling tone, very much like that employed by 
Chet Groik. 

Very well — hold the wire,” answered Mrs. 
Voup. 

With bated breath the boys in the telephone 
booth waited. 

Hello ! Who is it ? ” demanded Si^s voice a 
few seconds later. 

''Can’t you guess?” drawled Fred. "I want 


294 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


to know how matters are going ? ’’ he went on 
quickly. 

“ Oh, is that you, Chet ? ’’ exclaimed the rich 
bully. ‘‘ I thought you’d call me up to know how 
matters were progressing. Well, they are all 
fixed.” 

‘‘ Did you see ” went on Fred, and then 

drawled something that might mean anything. He 
was rather afraid to mention Dixon’s name. 

“Dixon? Sure, called him up twice, and he 
said he’d meet me at Catlan’s Hotel to-morrow at 
two o’clock. I told him I’d take him home in 
my motor boat. He didn’t like the idea first — but 
I’ll get him on board some way or another — 
and then — Well, you know the rest.” 

Now Fred and the others with him did not know 
the rest. But they were anxious to find out. Joe 
placed his hand over the transmitter so that he 
might not be heard over the wire. 

“ Cluck into it and say you can’t understand,” 
he whispered. “ Get him to let himself out some- 
how.” 

‘‘ I — cluck — can — cluck — not understand — cluck 
you! ” said Fred, in a drawling and yet jerky man- 
ner. 

“ It’s the confounded telephone,” answered Si. 
“ I said I’d get him aboard the motor boat somehow. 


THE TELEPHONE 


295 


Then the steering wheel will get out of order, and 
I won’t be able to stop the engine. We’ll get to the 
point about half-past five or six — after it is dark. 
Then you’ve got to do the rest, — as you promised. 
And, Chet?” 

‘‘Well?” 

“ Remember, it isn’t to be my fault if Dixon is 
captured by some others after I get wrecked at the 
point.” 

“ Hu — cluck — hem! ” Fred did not know what 
to say. 

“ I didn’t catch that. But I know you under- 
stand. Now I’ve got to ring off,” added Si hastily. 
“ Good-bye I ” And the talk came to an end, and 
the three boys walked back to the clubhouse. 

“ I guess I understand what is up,” said Joe. “ Si 
and this Groik are going to try to keep George 
Dixon away from the game.” 

“ That’s it I ” cried the others. 

“ Well, they are not going to do it,” continued the 
captain of the eleven. “ George is our rival on the 
gridiron, and perhaps with him off the field we’d 
win with ease. But that isn’t fair sport — and I for 
one won’t stand for it.” 

“ I guess we all feel that way,” said Fred. 

“ Let us call up George Dixon at once and tell 
him what we know,” came from Harry. 


296 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


We can’t do that, for George isn’t home. He 
went to the city and won’t be back until to-morrow.” 

The boys talked the matter over until a late hour, 
and at last formed a plan of action. Harry was to 
go to Brookside early in the morning and look for 
the arrival of George Dixon, while Joe, Fred, and 
Bart were to ask Mr. Corsen for the use of his 
launch. 

Perhaps it will be best to catch Si and Groik 
red-handed,” said Joe. “ Then we can prove what 
they are up to.” 

The final game of the series was to be played at 
Lakeport on Thursday, and it was on Wednesday 
that George Dixon was to meet Si Voup at Catlan’s 
Hotel, a resort on the lake shore, filled during warm 
weather by summer boarders, and later on by 
hunters from the city. Early Wednesday morning, 
Harry rode his bicycle to Brookside and called at 
the Dixon residence. 

‘‘ George is not at home,” said the servant. ‘‘ He 
sent word that he had to meet somebody this after- 
noon and wouldn’t be home until late.” 

This was not satisfactory information, for Harry 
did not know if Si Voup was meant or somebody 
else. If George had been delayed by an outsider 
perhaps he would not meet Si at all. 

‘‘ I’ll go to Catlan’s,” said the boy to himself. 


THE TELEPHONE 


297 


and wheeled away for the summer resort. Here he 
got an early dinner, and then walked outside and 
took a place behind some bushes, where he might 
watch for the coming of the Lakeport bully and for 
George Dixon. 

It was not long before Si arrived in his motor 
boat, and he too obtained dinner at the hotel. 
Then he sat around, smoking cigarettes and waiting 
for George Dixon. While he did this, Harry saw a 
launch come up the lake shore and tie up back of a 
boathouse. The launch contained Joe, Fred, Bart, 
and the man who ran the craft for Mr. Corsen. 

Promptly on time, George Dixon put in an ap- 
pearance, having had a man drive him to the 
hotel from the Brookside railroad station. As 
soon as he arrived Si ran up and greeted him 
cordially. 

'‘You want to see me very particularly, I be- 
lieve,'' said the Brookside quarter-back, rather 
coolly. 

“I do, George," answered the Lakeport youth. 
“ But first won't you come and have a drink* with 
me?" 

“ Thank you. I don't drink." 

“ Then have a cigar." 

“ I don't smoke." 

“ Too bad — you don’t know what you miss," and 


298 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Si inhaled a large volume of cigarette smoke and 
blew it from his nose. 

“ What do you want to tell me ? demanded 
George, and it was plain to see he did not at all 
fancy this interview with Si Voup. He knew the 
rich bully’s character pretty well, although not as 
well as did the boys of Lakeport. 

Seeing that he could not treat George, Si led the 
way to the hotel reading room, and there the pair 
sat down to talk for over an hour. Si did all in his 
power to prolong the conversation, but the Brook- 
side football captain soon showed his impatience. 

“ Is that all you’ve got to say ? ” he demanded. 

Well, I’ve got something else of importance,” 
answered Si. ‘‘ I’ll tell you that when we are on 
our way to Brookside. Come on, my motor boat is 
at the dock. We’ll make the run to your town in 
no time.” 

George Dixon did not fancy having Si for com- 
pany, but there was no nice way of refusing the in- 
vitation, so he walked down to the shore and 
boarded the motor boat. Si at once cranked the fly- 
wheel and set the engine in motion, and then took 
the wheel. Soon the craft was far out on the lake. 
It was a gloomy day and growing darker every 
minute. 

Now to follow them ! ” thought Harry. We’ll 


THE TELEPHONE 299 

catch Si Voup in a manner he doesn’t expect, I am 
sure of it ! ” 

Then he ran to where the launch was in waiting 
and joined the other boys. Soon the second craft 
was moving slowly away from the shore, in the 
wake of that containing Si and George. 


CHAPTER XXIX 


RESCUING A RIVAL 

Don't run too close/' ordered Joe, speaking to 
the man who was in command of the Corsen launch. 
‘‘We want to see what that fellow is inclined to do." 

This order was obeyed, and for the best part of 
an hour the launch followed slowly after the motor 
boat, which turned and twisted on its course and 
once ran against a series of smooth rocks. 

“ Si is certainly playing his part," observed 
Harry. It is his plan to keep George out until 
after dark." 

At last the motor boat started off at a high rate 
of speed— moving so rapidly, in fact, that those on 
the launch had hard work to keep the other craft in 
sight. Si was now heading for a lonely stretch of 
the lake shore known to sportsmen as Loney’s Rest, 
because it was so quiet. No houses were in that 
vicinity. The woods were of scrub timber, unin- 
viting to the eye, and interspersed with dense brush- 
wood. Here and there were marshy places, the 
haunts of wild ducks. 


300 


EESCUING A EIVAL 301 


“ He’s going ashore now ! ” cried Bart. Watch 
lively, or we’ll miss him — if he gets behind the 
bushes ! ” 

The shore was very uneven, the bushes growing 
out on little splits of land. There were several 
creeks, two of them quite deep. Into one of 
these creeks shot the motor boat and was lost 
to view. 

“ I saw where he went in ! ” cried Joe, and di- 
rected the man at the wheel to that point. 

Just as they got close to the mouth of the creek 
they heard some loud talking, and then a cry from 
George Dixon. 

‘‘ Let me go, I tell you ! ” came from the Brook- 
side quarter-back. Let me go ! Do you want to 
rob me ! ” 

'' Please don’t touch me! ” cried Si Voup, in ap- 
parent terror. 

‘‘ We don’t want you — we want Dixon! ” cried a 
rough voice. “ You clear out of here, and be quick 
about it ! ” 

“Oh, I’ll get out!” answered the rich bully of 
Lakeport. “ But don’t hurt Dixon.” 

“We won’t hurt him. Get out, and be quick 
about it ! ” 

While this talk was going on, George Dixon 
was struggling to get away from two persons who 


302 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

held him. Each of these persons wore a ragged 
coat and had a black cloth bag tied over his head, 
with two holes cut in it for the eyes. One of the 
persons had already forced George’s hands behind 
him and slipped a pair of steel handcuffs over his 
wrists. 

As Si began to back his motor boat from the 
creek, the launch glided up, Joe in the bow. Si gave 
one look at the launch and its occupants and uttered 
a cry of dismay. 

“ This game is up. Si Voup ! ” cried Joe. Then, 
waiting for a favorable opportunity, he leaped 
ashore and rushed at the two disguised fellows. 
Bart, Fred, and Harry came after him. Joe had a 
boathook in his hands and he brandished this threat- 
eningly. 

^‘What’s this?” demanded one of the disguised 
persons. It was Chet Groik. 

You let George Dixon alone ! ” answered Joe, 
and then, without waiting, he hit Groik over the 
head and knocked him half senseless. Seeing this, 
the second disguised fellow took to his heels and ran 
into the woods. 

Before Groik could arise, Fred and Harry were 
on top of him, and they made him beg for mercy. 
The black bag was torn from his head in no gentle 
fashion, and he suffered a bloody nose. 


EESCUING A EIVAL 303 

‘‘Le— let me go! Don’t kill me!” he whined. 
All his apparent bravery had deserted him. 

“ Hello ! ” cried George Dixon, gazing at Joe and 
his chums in astonishment. Where did you come 
from ? ” 

“ We’ll tell you that later,” aswered Joe. We 
want to ’tend to this chap first— and to Si Voup.” 

‘‘ It’s a plot against you,” put in Bart. ‘‘ A plot 
gotten up by Si and this rascal.” 

“ I guess they were either going to injure you or 
keep you away from the game,” said Harry. 

“ Well, I knew something was wrong,” answered 
George. 

‘‘ I didn’t get this up— it was Si Voup ! ” cried 
Chet Groik. 

** That ain’t so ! ” bawled Si, who was still in his 
motor boat, being blocked in the creek by the Corsen 
launch. “ It’s all his doings, and I can prove it ! ” 

‘‘ I guess one is as black as the other,” said Joe, 
and then he and his chums told George Dixon all 
they knew. 

Well, you are certainly brave fellows to come to 
my assistance,” said George. It isn’t every quar- 
ter-back would come to help his rival,” he added, 
to Joe. 

“ I reckon you’d do as much for me, George.” 

‘‘ Perhaps so. But it was very nice of you — with 


304 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

your knowing how much I want to win to-mor- 
row ! '' 

“ Well, I’ll beat you anyhow ! ” said Joe, with a 
laugh. 

“Not much!” added George, and then he 
laughed too. 

“What do you want of me?” demanded Chet 
Groik. 

“ I ought to have you locked up,” answered 
George. “If these fellows hadn’t come up you 
might have half killed me I ” 

“ It was only a bit of fun. I wasn’t going to hurt 
you.’^ 

“ Who was that other man? ” asked Harry. 

“ Oh, that was a fellow I picked up in the woods. 
Met him a couple of days ago. I don’t know his 
name.” 

“ Perhaps it was Marcy 1 ” exclaimed Fred. 

After that they questioned Chet closely and came 
to the conclusion that he had really fallen in with 
Dan Marcy, and that the fugitive from justice 
had agreed to aid in making George Dixon a pris- 
oner. But where Marcy was now, there was no 
telling. 

“ I think I know where he hangs out,” said 
Groik. “ But I can’t take you there now — it is 
too dark.” 


EESCUING A RIVAL 805 


Well, maybe you can take us there to-morrow 
or the day after,” said Joe. 

George Dixon finally decided to let both Groik 
and Si go. Both went off in the motor boat, look- 
ing very crestfallen and thoughtful. 

‘‘ Wedl take you to Brookside, George,” said 
Bart, and this was done, and at the boathouse dock 
the rivals of the football field parted better friends 
than ever. 

“ Even if we lose that game. I’ll not forget what 
you have done for me,” said the Brookside quarter- 
back, as he shook hands on parting. 

'' And even if we lose, I’ll not be sorry that I 
came to your rescue,” answered Joe. 

We don’t want to win if it can’t be done in an 
upright, honest manner,” added Fred. 

The football ‘‘ fever ” filled the air, and early 
next day some of the Lakeport eleven got out for 
practice. The boys went to school in the morning, 
but it must be confessed that their minds were not 
on their lessons. All were glad when the twelve 
o’clock bell rang and they were able to rush 
forth into the clear, crisp air of that autumn 
day. 

Now for a light lunch and then for a little 
practice on that new play Mr. Bellman suggested ! ” 
cried Joe. 


306 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

“ The Brookside fellows are coming down in fine 
shape,” said Matt. “ I just got word over the tele- 
phone from a relative of mine. After George Dix- 
on was rescued, they began an investigation, and 
one of the boys found that a telegram he had re- 
ceived, telling him to go elsewhere, was a fake. 
Now all of them are on their guard.” 

All the old players of the Lakeport eleven were 
in trim for the great game, and they assembled at 
the clubhouse early, and spent a good hour in going 
over the new move Carl Bellman had brought to 
their notice. The coach gave them some final in- 
structions. 

“You know something about how Brookside 
plays, — from the other two games,” said the coach. 
“ But don’t take it for granted that they will play 
the same way this time. They may have something 
entirely new up their sleeve. I think at the start 
you had better be somewhat on the defensive. But 
don’t fail to take advantage of any opportunity that 
may present itself to score.” 

“ Oh, I’m not going to let anything slip if I know 
it,” answered Joe grimly. 

“ We are out to win to-day,” added Link. 

“ Win or die ! ” cried Matt melodramatically, 
and struck a stage attitude that made everybody 
present laugh. 


EESCUING A EIVAL 307 

The final game for the League championship 
drew an immense crowd of spectators. The weather 
was ideal, and people came in by train, automobile, 
and boat. Long before the toss-up, the grand-stand 
was crowded to suffocation, while the field itself 
was lined with spectators several rows deep. In a 
corner were fully thirty automobiles, flying the 
colors of the various clubs. All of the friends of 
the Lakeport eleven were present, and they shouted 
words of encouragement whenever the opportunity 
offered. 

In a corner of the grounds, doing all they could 
to evade notice, were Si Voup and Chet Groik. 
They had had a bitter quarrel the evening before, 
and Si had threatened to have the sporty young man 
arrested for swindling him. But the quarrel had 
been patched up, and now the pair were doing what 
they could to hedge ” on the bets they had pre- 
viously made in favor of Lakeport. 

Brookside will win,” said Groik. ‘‘ If we want 
to make money, we’ve got to favor them,” and this 
they did, after some hard work among some sports 
from Brookside and Barton Park. The betting, of 
course, was all done quietly. 

“ Now, boys, do your best,” said Munroe Corsen, 
when the Lakeport eleven appeared. 

‘‘ Lakeport wants that pennant,” added Rockley 


308 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


White. He was as much interested as were Mr. 
Corsen and Carl Bellman. 

A general shout of welcome went up for each 
eleven as it appeared. Brookside had but one sub- 
stitute player and he was judged to be every bit as 
good as, if not better than, the man whose position 
he filled. 

It must be admitted that Joe and his eleven were 
a bit nervous. But for the matter of that, so were 
the Brookside players. Every boy had a “do or 
die ” look on his set face as he came out on the 
gridiron. 

“ Captains to center for the toss ! ” was the com- 
mand, and Joe and George Dixon trotted forward, 
each looking extra strong and sturdy in his newly- 
cleaned football outfit. The Brookside captain won 
the toss. 

“ We’ll take the lower goal,” he said, and so the 
pigskin was turned over to Lakeport for the kick- 
off. A strong wind was blowing from the lower 
goal, which made the kick-off of small advantage. 

“Now, everybody on the job!” cried Joe, and 
then the ball was sent up into the air. There fol- 
lowed an exchange of punts, and then, on a fumble 
by the Brookside left half-back, Lakeport got the 
pigskin close to the center of the field. 

“ First down and ten yards to gain! ” 


RESCUING A RIVAL 309 

The signal was given and Matt, aided by two 
others, endeavored to push the ball forward. But 
Brookside was on the alert and held them on an 
advance of only two yards. 

“ Second down. Lakeport’s ball, and eight yards 
to gain ! '' 

Again the ball went into action, and again Lake- 
port tried for a gain. But Brookside stood as a 
stone wall, and it was all Joe’s eleven could do to 
hold the ball. 

Third down, and six yards to gain ! ” 

^ 3> 5> 23 • ’’ called out Joe, the signal for a run 
around the left, since the wind was now blowing a 
gale. The pigskin was passed with great rapidity. 
But again Brookside was on the alert, and though 
the ball was carried diagonally across the gridiron 
for several yards the advance was not sufficient to 
‘‘ make good ” for three downs. 

Brookside ball ! called the referee. First 
down and ten yards to gain ! ” 

Hurrah ! that’s the way to hold ’em ! ” came the 
cry from a Brookside supporter. “ Now show ’em 
what you can do with it ! ” 

Watch the ends! ” cried Joe, to his eleven, and 
this meant, ‘‘ Hold them back ! ” And it was well 
he gave the warning, for a few seconds later Brook- 
side smashed into the Lakeport line with a vigor 


310 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

that was truly wonderful. Player after player went 
down, but it was plucky Henry Hancock who finally 
downed the other right half-back. 

Brookside ball ! Second down and four yards 
to gain ! 

There followed another smash, and Lakeport 
stood up with all the strength it could command. 
But then of a sudden came a break, and a marvelous 
run by A1 Lemming around the left end. 

‘‘ Stop him ! stop him ! ’’ 

But it was too late. On and on rushed the Brook- 
side player, and at last he gained the goal line and 
dropped across it, with two of the Lakeport players 
on top of him. Aided by the wind, the Brookside 
quarter-back kicked the goal with ease. 

The game was exactly twelve minutes old, and 
the score stood, Brookside 6, Lakeport o. 


CHAPTER XXX 


A GRAND VICTORY — CONCLUSION 

‘‘What did I tell you? Brookside is going to 
win ! whispered Chet Groik to Si Voup. “ IPs a 
grand good thing we got those extra bets. We’ll 
get our money back, and a hundred over ! ’’ 

“ The game isn’t ended yet,” answered Si nerv- 
ously. At that moment he wished he had never met 
Chet Groik. If they should lose, the hundred dol- 
lars which had been entrusted to him would be gone 
for good, and what was he then to tell his father? 
A cold chill ran down his backbone. 

The ball had been put into action once again, and 
as before, there was an exchange of punts which 
netted little or nothing for either side. Walter 
made a fumble, and Brookside got the pigskin on 
the Lakeport forty-yard line. Then came an at- 
tempt to rush the left end, but Walter, Frank, and 
Harry, were on the alert, and the last-named 
brought the Brookside runner down after an ad- 
vance of but six yards. The ball bounced away and 
Fred secured it. There followed a mix-up fearful 
311 


312 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

to behold, but when it was over Lakeport had the 
ball. 

“ I— I guess ril have to retire,'’ said Walter, as 
he got up, and limped around. 

‘‘Too bad, Walter,” said Joe, and then Teddy 
Dugan was called from the substitute bench. 

“ They are getting the jump on us to-day,” whis- 
pered Bart to Joe. 

“ I know it, Bart,” returned the captain of the 
eleven. “ But do you think they can stand it? ” 

“ Not for more than one half. But that may be 
enough,” added the big full-back significantly. 

Joe now resolved to try the new move suggested 
by Carl Bellman. This was a pass to the right, 
followed by a return to center and a wedge-like 
drive straight up the field. He waited for the 
proper opportunity and then gave the prearranged 
signal. 

The pass to the right was swiftly executed, and, 
to add effect to the trick. Link made a slight move 
as if to run. Then the pigskin came back with a 
twist that dazed the Brookside boys. Fred secured 
it, and protected well on either side, started ahead, 
supported by Andy Carr and Bart Mason, — the lat- 
ter having run up when the side pass was made. 

“ Go it, Fred ! Go it ! ” was the yell, and the 
short legs of the center-rush did twinkle down the 


A GRAND VICTORY 313 

field in a manner that was amazing. Then fol- 
lowed the shock of the encounter with Brookside, 
but Fred darted to the right, under the arm of the 
Brookside center, and on past the left guard. He 
was swung clear around, but rolled over, and when 
finally downed had gained twenty-five yards. 

“ Hurrah for Fred Rush! '' 

‘‘ He’s Rush by name and rush by nature 1 ” 

Now you’re doing it, Lakeport; keep it up.” 

With five minutes more to play the pigskin was 
put into action again. 

Like a wall of stone Brookside gathered to with- 
stand the next move of Lakeport. The shock was 
terrific and Paul Shale was carried under and 
trampled upon. Nothing was gained by the down. 
Then before the ball could be put in play again, the 
whistle sounded. 

The first half of the great game was over. 

And the score still stood, Brookside 6, Lake- 
port o. 

It must be admitted that the Lakeport boys 
walked to their dressing room in rather a dejected 
mood. They realized that their opponents were 
putting up an unusually strong and snappy game. 
Some of the Brookside interference had been 
superb, while Lakeport had lost the ball on at least 
two fumbles that were positively bad. 


314 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Never mind, boys,'' said the coach cheerily. 

Don't get discouraged. Had the half been five 
minutes longer I think you would have gotten a 
touchdown. They are using up their strength fast. 
When you start up again go at them as if you meant 
it. Try the ends — especially the left. That's their 
weak spot. And remember, you'll have the wind 
with you now — so don't take too big a chance on a 
third down." 

The second half of the great game began amid a 
breathless silence. Brookside made a good kick-off, 
considering the wind, which was now veering 
around to the side of the field. The pigskin came to 
Matt Roscoe, who returned the kick with vigor. 
The scrimmage that came after was fierce in the 
extreme, and several players came out of it con- 
siderably battered up. 

‘‘They seem to have plenty of wind left," 
grumbled Paul. 

“ Sure, an’ some av thim fellows have muscles av 
iron, so they have! " was Teddy Dugan's comment. 
The Irish lad was all excitement and willing to lay 
down his very life if only Lakeport might win. 

Joe remembered what the coach had said about 
the left end, — but he did not let Brookside get an 
inkling of what was in his mind. He worked his 
way, by a series of downs, to the other eleven's 


A GRAND VICTORY 


315 


thirty-yard mark. Then the ball was lost and came 
back five yards. It came to Fred Rush on a fumble, 
and Joe quickly gave the signal which told he was 
now going to try the Brookside left end for a run 
around. 

Bart understood and, watching his chance, crept 
up to a point just beyond the half-back. Then the 
ball was passed to the right, sent back to center and 
to right again, where Bart secured it. Then the 
big full-back came pounding up the field in a 
semi-circle, around the Brookside left end, 
while the Lakeport boys hurled themselves to his 
support. 

Look at that!^^ 

“ Run, Bart. Leg it, old man ! 

All too late Brookside saw the movement. The 
left end and the left guard rushed to the defense, 
but Bart, strong, wiry, and determined, shook them 
off one after another. Then over the line he rushed 
like the wind, not another player within two yards 
of him. 

Hurrah ! A touchdown for Lakeport I 

“ Now make it a goal, fellows! ’’ 

Quickly the ball was taken to the field, and placed 
in position for the attempt at goal. But the wind 
was against Lakeport and the kick failed, leaving 
the score, Brookside 6, Lakeport 5. 


316 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Well, that’s something,” was Harry’s comment. 
‘‘ They can’t skunk us anyhow.” 

“ Come, boys, at them again ! ” cried Joe. Fif- 
teen minutes more ! Play for all that is in you ! ” 

‘‘ We will ! ” was the rallying cry. 

The touchdown made by Lakeport seemed to put 
new determination in both elevens, and, almost be- 
fore they knew it, the Lakeport lads found the ball 
down on their twenty-yard mark. Then followed 
some sharp kicking, and a run to the right, and the 
ball was finally held by Paul Shale five yards from 
the goal line. 

“ Don’t let them over ! ” whispered Joe fiercely. 

If it comes to a bad mix-up, take it for a safety.” 

It was well he uttered this caution, for Brookside 
now fought like so many demons to force the pig- 
skin for a touchdown. Up it came on the second 
down to the one-yard line. Then it was almost 
over when Link got possession of it and carried it 
back. 

‘‘ A safety ! A safety 1 ” 

Never mind, that gives Brookside two more 
points anyway ! ” 

With exactly eight minutes more to play the ball 
was taken out in the field. Each eleven was all but 
exhausted, for the last mix-up had knocked the 
breath out of nearly everybody. The only boys to 


A GEAND VICTOEY 


317 


keep perfectly cool were Joe and George Dixon. 
The Brookside captain was making plans for a line 
plunge, shifting to the left. Joe planned to hit the 
Brookside left, using the entire strength of his team 
for that purpose. 

Three minutes passed and the ball remained al- 
most where it had started. Brookside lost it on a 
fumble, and in two downs Lakeport carried it up 
the center for fifteen yards. Then Joe gave the 
signal for the side move, but hardly had he done so 
when he saw George Dixon look at his left end in 
a peculiar fashion. 

‘‘ He understood my signal,” thought the Lake- 
port captain, and immediately gave a number which 
meant, Move as before.” There followed another 
rush and a down, netting another five yards. Then 
Joe gave another signal, which meant, ''Try it 
now! ” 

This time the Brookside players were mystified, 
and when they saw the pigskin passed from center 
to right, back to center and then to their left they 
knew not what to expect. It went to Henry Han- 
cock, but he promptly turned it over to Joe, and out 
shot the quarter-back, clearing the Brookside left 
guard at a bound. Then he struck the end, hurling 
him down as if with a battering ram. 

‘‘ Go it, Joe!” 


318 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


Don’t let them catch you ! ” 

'' Sprint, my boy, sprint ! ” screamed Munroe 
Corsen, and then in his excitement he threw his silk 
hat high in the air. Rockley White had a rattle 
which he swung vigorously, and of a sudden the din 
became deafening. 

But Joe heard nothing — saw nothing but that thin 
white line on the green sward ahead. On and on 
he went, a strange buzzing in his ears. He saw 
somebody loom up at his side, — a foe — and hurled 
him down. Fred and Harry and Link were behind 
him and so were the whole Brookside eleven, all 
but the end, who was still flat on his back. But no- 
body could catch the plucky quarter-back. Over 
the goal line he came like an arrow, nor did he 
stop until he placed the ball squarely behind the 
goal posts. 

Hurrah ! Another touchdown for Lakeport ! ” 

“ Did you ever see a run like that ! ” 

''That was better than the one Bart Mason 
made ! ” 

" You’ve got ’em a-going now, boys ! ” 

" This is Lakeport’s game right enough ! ” 

So the cries ran on, while Joe was patted on the 
back and the crowd cheered. Fred kicked the goal, 
and another outburst of applause followed. 

" Four minutes more to play.” 


A GEAND VICTOEY 319 

''Hold ’em— that’s all,” panted Joe. "Don’t 
take any chances — hold ’em.” 

Brookside was wild to do something, and the play 
was roilgh from the kick-off. But the Lakeport 
eleven obeyed the order of their captain, and stood 
up like a wall against their opponents. When the 
whistle sounded the pigskin was on the Lakeport 
forty-five-yard line. 

Final score, Lakeport ii, Brookside 8. 

Lakeport had won the Football League champion- 
ship! 

The cheering lasted for fully five minutes> while 
the sounds of horns and rattles added to the din. 
The Lakeport eleven were surrounded, and Joe was 
hoisted up on the shoulders of some enthusiastic 
admirers and Bart was treated in the same way. 
Matt Roscoe was so tickled he had to turn hand- 
springs all over the football field. 

" Oh, Harry, it was grand I grand I grand 1 ” cried 
Laura, and she fairly hugged her brother. 

" I never saw a game I enjoyed so much,” added 
Violet Corsen. 

" Well, boys, you fulfilled my expectations,” was 
Carl Bellman’s comment. " This game pays me 
for all my work.” His round face was one broad 
smile. 

" Three cheers for Brookside 1 ” cried Joe, to his 


320 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

club, and the cheers were, given with a will, many 
Lakeport folks joining in. 

‘‘ Three cheers for Lakeport/’ said George Dix- 
on, pluckily, and they were given with equal vigor. 

George, you played a great game,” said Harry, 
to the defeated quarter-back. 

‘‘ You certainly did,” added Joe. ‘‘ I thought 
sure at one time you would win.” 

‘‘ It was that last run of yours did it, Joe,” was 
the reply. “ That was simply great — the best I 
ever saw. Why, you shot away before anybody 
could realize what you were doing. Td like to have 
made that run myself.” George felt his defeat 
keenly, but he was not going to show it. 

As during the boating season, Mr. Munroe Cor- 
sen had provided a big spread for the Lakeport 
club, and the Brookside lads were invited to par- 
ticipate in the festivities. At this gathering Carl 
Bellman made a speech, in which he praised the 
home eleven for what they had done. 

“ And I want to say a word — an honest word, 
too — in favor of Brookside,” he added. ‘‘ They 
played a fine game — a splendid game — and their 
being defeated to-day is nothing to be ashamed of. 
I congratulate each and every player on that team 
on the showing he made.” And then there was 
more applause. 


A GEAND VICTOEY 


321 


A number of outsiders were invited to the feast, 
but Si Voup and Chet Groik were not of that num- 
ber. As soon as the great game was at an end Si 
sneaked home, the most miserable youth in Lake- 
port. He had lost all his money and was thirty 
dollars in debt. To add to his misery, his father, 
that afternoon, had found out that the painter’s bill 
had not been paid. 

“ Where is that money ? ” he demanded harshly. 

“ I — I lost it,” stammered Si. But his father 
would not believe this, and the next day started 
some inquiries, with the result that the son’s shady 
doings were exposed. Mr. Voup was very angry, 
and at first threatened to turn Si over to the officers 
of the law. But the youth begged for another 
chance, and promised to do better, so his parent 
relented. 

I will try you just once more,” said Mr. Voup. 
‘‘ And then, if you don’t behave, I’ll send you to the 
strictest boarding school I can find.” And then, 
for the time being, he cut off all of Si’s spending 
money. 

Mr. Munroe Corsen and the express company 
manager had been greatly interested in what the 
boys had to tell about Dan Marcy, and a systematic 
search was made for the rascal on the day after the 
great football game. Chet Groik was compelled to 


322 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 


take some officers to the spot where he had fallen in 
with Marcy, and from that point the rascal was 
followed to a hunter’s shelter near the shore of one 
of the bays opening into Pine Lake. Marcy was 
caught asleep and was very much astonished to find 
himself a prisoner when awakened. 

“ Well, I reckon I gave you a pretty good chase,” 
said he, when he was handcuffed. ‘‘ I was a fool to 
stay around here so long. I ought to have skipped 
out when they discovered my hangout in the woods.” 

He had knocked around so much that he did not 
seem to mind his arrest, and he freely acknowledged 
some of his crimes, including the looting of the ex- 
press car and the robbing of the Preters. But he 
strenuously denied wrecking the train. Yet this 
was later proven against him, and he was sent to 
prison for a number of years. Many of the things 
he had stolen were recovered, including the docu- 
ments which belonged to Munroe Corsen, much to 
that gentleman’s satisfaction. 

In the hour of their great victory, the Lakeport 
football club did not forget what Carl Bellman 
had done for them, and they took some of the 
money they had gotten at the games and bought the 
coach a gold watch, and had it suitably engraved. 

‘‘ Well, it was certainly a great football season,” 
remarked Harry. And it came to an end at just 


323 


A GEAND VICTORY 

the right time, too.’^ He added the latter words 
because it was now December and the first fall of 
snow had come. 

“ This will make hunting good,” said Fred. 

What do you say to going out again, as we did 
before? ” 

“ Fd like to go into a regular winter camp,” said 
Link. “ We could have dead loads of fun.” 

“We’ll do it — if our folks will let us!” cried 
Joe; and how the boys went out during the winter 
will be told in another volume of this series, to be 
entitled “ The Camping Out Boys of Lakeport; 
or, Life in the Woods.” The boys did not go to 
Pine Island on this trip, but to the shore of a lake 
many miles away, and there met with a series of 
adventures as stirring as they were interesting. 

It was a long time before the boys got done talk- 
ing about the football contests that had taken place. 
Somehow, the lads of Lakeport did not mind it that 
in the series of games between that town and Brook- 
side, their rivals had won two games out of three. 

“ Fd rather lose to Brookside than any other 
club,” said Joe, and his chums agreed with him. 

In due course of time the Lakeport club obtained 
possession of the beautiful Pennant for which they 
had struggled so valiantly, and also the silver cup 
offered by Mr. Corsen, and the badges from the 


324 THE FOOTBALL BOYS 

Brookside jeweler. The Pennant was much ad- 
mired both by themselves and their numerous 
friends, and was hung up, for the time being, in the 
clubhouse. 

'' It was certainly a grand wind-up,’' said Harry. 
** Suited me down to the ground ! ” cried Fred. 

“ And suited all of us ! ” finished Joe. 


THE LAKEPORT SERIES 

By EDWARD STRATEMEYER 


VOLUME ONE 

,THE GUN CLUB BOYS OF LAKEPORT 

Or The Island Camp 

321 pages Illustrated Price $1.25 

A BRIGHT, breezy, outdoor story, telling how several lads organized 
a gun club and went camping in the winter time. They had with 
them a trusty old hunter who revealed to them many of the secrets of 
Nature as found in the woods. A volume any boy who loves a gun 
will appreciate. 

This story of camping and hunting will appeal to every American boy.— 
Register^ New Haven, Conn, 

VOLUME TWO 

THE BASEBALL BOYS OF LAKEPORT 

Or The Winning Ran 

315 pages Illustrated Price $1.25 

W ITH the coming of summer the boys turned their attention to 
baseball and organized a club, and played many thrilling games. 
The rivalry was of the keenest, and the particulars are given of a plot 
to injure the Lakeport nine and make them lose the most important 
game of all. 

Will appeal to every healthy American \>oy,— American, Baltimore, Md, 

VOLUME THREE 

THE BOAT CLUB BOYS OF LAKEPORT 

Or The Water Champions 

300 pages Illustrated Price $1.25 

T his time the scene is shifted to the lake. The boys all know how 
to row and sail a boat, and they organize a club and have fun 
galore. During a squall on the lake something of great value is lost 
overboard. The abduction of a little girl adds to the interest of the 
volume. Every lad who loves the water will read this volume with 
pleasure. 

This author knows how to please red-blooded \2idi,—‘Times*Unton, Albany, 

N. r. 


Mr. Stratemeyer’s popularity will be increased by “ Dave 
Porter.** — Times, Hartford, Conn, 


DAVE PORTER SERIES 

By EDWARD STRATEMEYER 


VOLUME ONE 

DA VE PORTER A T OAK HALL 

Or the Schooldays of an Amencan ^oy 

312 pages Illustrated Price $1.25 

^EVER was there a brighter, more manly, thoroughly up-to-date boy 
than Dave Porter, and all boys who read about him, and girls too, 
for the matter of that, will be sure to love him from the start. How, as 
a green country boy, he went to Oak Hall, how he was hazed, and how 
he had to fight his way through is told with a naturalness that is true 
to life. 

The story is told with great fidelity to real Eagle, Brooklyn, N, Y, 

VOLUME TWO 

DAVE PORTER IN THE SOUTH SEAS 

Or The Strange Cruise of the Stormy Petrel 

286 pages Illustrated Price $1.25 

£)AVE is the same bright, wide-awake youth he was at school, and his 
adventures on shipboard and among the unexplored islands of the 
South Seas will render him dearer to the hearts of the boys than ever. Dave 
is trying to solve the mystery of his parentage, and several of his school 
chums are with him during his wanderings, some sharing his perils. A 
great tidal wave sends the ship into a strange harbor and there follows a 
mutiny which places a number on board in great peril. 

Mr. Stratemeyer’s heroes are full of fun, and the activity that goes with youth, 
strength and high spirits. They are all safe— they work hard and play fairly. 
—Star, Washington, D, C. 

Mr. Stratemeyer has seldom introduced a more popular hero than Dave Porter. 
He is a typical boy, manly, brave, always ready for a good time if itcan be obtained 
in an honorable way. — Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wis. 


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